


Will of Solomon

by Advocaat



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: F/M, Manga Spoilers, Time Fudgery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-08-20 15:01:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 50,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8253313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Advocaat/pseuds/Advocaat
Summary: When something awful happens—something you absolutely can’t accept—you find a way to make it right. That’s just human nature. Perhaps a powerful enough wish can alter the course of destiny.





	1. Deja Vu

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, boys and girls! Welcome to the fic that probably nobody ever asked for but now it’s written and y’all’re stuck reading it because let’s be honest, the Hakumor section of the Magi fandom is small and sad you all are lonely and thirsty just like me. 
> 
> That being said, I actually do hope you enjoy this. I wrote it mostly for me (because I’m a sucker and I don’t know what’s good for me) but if some of you can derive some entertainment and feels from it as well, that would make me super happy. I’ll be doing my best to post a new chapter every couple days, so sit back and enjoy this small monstrosity. And if you’re one of those beautiful souls who thrive on leaving comments, extra bacon for you.

 

“I should have stopped you, even if I had to use brute force. But even though I was feeling uneasy, I didn’t. If I had, we might be seeing a different future now.”

-Morgiana, Ch. 281

**Prologue**

On Wanting to Die 

He’d wanted to die. Sometimes, he still does.

Back then, after it had happened, after he’d taken back his empire with blood and madness and shredded his soul in the process; after he’d cruelly murdered his own heart and left himself out to dry, weary and empty and barely attached to the world, he’d often sit by himself in his—it was his now—lonely audience chamber and think about dying. Crybaby Hakuryuu, always such a letdown, presses the freshly polished edge of the broadsword that lopped off the head of his mother to his throat and tastes freedom.

But he knows death isn’t really freedom. Not for someone like him. He’s messed up. Royally so. Dying without protecting the things he’s sworn to protect or atoning for the countless lives he’s ended would be shameful, and Hakuryuu was never a shameful prince, so he lives. And he regrets. And he continues to wish somewhere deep in his heart that he could die.

“Alibaba is dead. You killed him.”

He knows. He hated Alibaba. Hated him. Hated him. _Hated him_. He regrets it _so damn much_. Alibaba had been his friend. They’d traveled together and fought together and laughed together and even though Hakuryuu hated him, he also loved him. Everyone had loved him.

She had loved him.

“I will watch you. I will always be watching you.”

 _Don’t fail me,_ is what she’s saying. She’s telling him to live for Alibaba’s sake too.

But Hakuryuu will never be Alibaba. He will never shine that brightly. He will try, but he will be a pale imitation, like the moon to Alibaba’s sun. And like the moon, he will always be half covered in darkness. But that’s okay. He needs a reason to live—not just one not to die—and if he can somehow, after all this, make her smile, he will be satisfied.

So Hakuryuu casts away his broadsword and takes up his halberd and lives.

Now, several years later, Alibaba is back and Morgiana is smiling—she’s so happy; she’s going to be his bride—and Hakuryuu is smiling too, but he’s thinking about death. He still has his reasons not to die, but he’s lost his reason to live. Morgiana no longer needs him to make her smile. He no longer needs to live for two people’s sakes. Now there’s just him and he’s realizing how inadequate the small, burnt out moon that is Hakuryuu is without Alibaba’s sunlight to help him shine. He’s all dark now. No longer visible to her. 

“Don’t get too depressed over your unrequited love!” Aladdin tells him chipperly, patting him on the back. “You’ll meet the right girl someday!”

Aladdin is full of optimism and naivety and light and he can’t see that inside the darkness Hakuryuu is already crumbling. He doesn’t understand that a dragon loves with his whole soul and Hakuryuu’s soul was lost while it still belonged to Morgiana. Maybe he will love again, but such a future is not visible to him right now. He can't see anything but the dark hole where the heart of a kind young prince once lay.

Hakuryuu is no longer a prince. He’s not an emperor either. He knows he could disappear right now and nobody would know. His whole existence now revolves around Aladdin and helping him protect the world, but at the end of the day, when their fight is over and done, he doesn’t have anywhere left to return to. He has nothing to offer a bride.

Maybe, he privately thinks, when the day their fight finally ends comes, he will at last be allowed to die.

Until then, he needs to find Judar. 

 

**Chapter One**

Deja Vu

Morgiana stops short suddenly. She’s full of confusion. The air smells of salt. She can hear the ocean. In front of her is a woman she has not seen in a very long time. The devilish woman’s wrists are bound and her face is bloody. Hakuryuu stands before her holding a broadsword. He is smiling.

Morgiana blinks. Just a minute ago she’d been with Alibaba and Aladdin somewhere very different. She’s sure of it. She looks around and sees the two in question, but they look wrong to her. Alibaba’s clothes are different and Aladdin…he’s too young. He’d been older. He’d been much taller and broader. And the bound woman…Umm Madaura…she was dead. She’d been dead for many years.

Suddenly, Morgiana isn’t sure anymore. She feels like she’s been witnessing a very long dream and now that she’s awake the memory of it is slipping away like sand through her fingers. Just what had she been doing a moment ago? That’s right, she’d just returned with her friends from the pirates’ stronghold. They’d saved the port and freed all the children from Umm Madaura’s clutches and now the witch was being taken away. She wonders why she’d ever thought she’d been doing anything else.

“Come here! You are such a good boy…a good child…Hakuryuu!” the witch is wailing and looking at Hakuryuu like he’s a lifeboat and she’s drowning. This is all so familiar. Morgiana feels like she’s seen it before.

Hakuryuu’s smile is beautiful. He’s beautiful. Aladdin and Alibaba are watching, full of alarm. They think he’s still under her control. Morgiana thinks he is too, but when he raises his sword and swiftly beheads the pitiful woman, she isn’t surprised like they are. When Hakuryuu lifts the head from the ground and brandishes it at the horrified children, she’s horrified too, yes, of course she is, but somehow she expects it; had anticipated it.

But, she thinks as Alibaba rushes up and angrily grabs Hakuryuu by his collar, the expression the young prince of Kou wears now that the deed is done is different from what she’d expected. The cold fury she had anticipated is replaced with a look of weariness; of resignation. He’d taken no joy in ending the pirate leader’s life. When he explains to them that his true mission all along was to end the life of his own mother, he sounds empty.

Morgiana wonders why she’s so unsettled by this.

After everything is said and done, Alibaba takes over responsibility of the children on behalf of Sindria. He is magnificent as always, redirecting the pain of their leader, Olba, and telling them to ford bravely ahead into a kinder future. Morgiana watches him with admiration. He is freeing them just like he freed her. He is radiant; like a king, she thinks. Her dearest wish is to support him.

Hakuryuu looks on impassively. He says nothing. Once again, Morgiana is confused because she thought he would. She was sure of it. _You all should have noticed from the beginning that_ _you were never loved._ She can hear his voice in her head, the words so clear they practically burn her ears with frost, but he hasn’t said anything. She frowns and rubs her temples and hopes maybe she can massage the voice away. There’s no reason for her to think Hakuryuu would say such a thing. She feels awful for subconsciously putting such hurtful words in his mouth.

“Are you okay?” Aladdin asks, looking up at her with a concerned frown. Seeing his face brings her peace. He’s so wise and patient for such a young boy. His presence stills her turmoil.

“Fine,” she replies to put him at ease. “It’s odd. I just…don’t feel myself today.” She doesn’t know how to explain the uncanniness she feels to her small friend but Aladdin seems to understand anyway. He smiles and turns his gaze back to Alibaba. Changing the subject, he says, “Alibaba sure is amazing.”

“Yes,” she agrees, her frown lifting into a smile as well. “He’s extraordinary. He can make anyone want to follow him.”

Off to the side, Hakuryuu pushes off from the side of the building he’d been leaning against and quietly begins to walk away. She is the only one who notices.

* * *

 It is nearly an hour later when she finds him. He’s packed his things and is walking out through the town’s gate. She doesn’t know why he’s leaving so suddenly, without telling them at that, but she knows she doesn’t want him to go. When he turns around to face her, however, her heart starts pounding and she’s struck with a sudden feeling of trepidation. Her mouth is dry and she somehow knows that this is a turning point. She needs to tread with caution. Carefully, she addresses him. “Hakuryuu…you’re planning to depart alone?”

He bows his head. He looks sullen. “Yes.” He turns around, preparing to leave once more. “I can’t stay with you all anymore. Thank you for all you have done for me until now.”

Morgiana follows after him. “Wait!” she protests. Somehow she knows that if she lets him leave now, she’ll regret it immensely. Something very, very important hinges on her not letting him go. “I don’t want to say farewell like this.”

She hears Hakuryuu take a deep breath and then exhale. She thinks she sees his shoulders shaking. “Then,” he starts, and suddenly Morgiana’s heart is racing. Her blood is running too fast in her veins. He’s going to say something that will upset her. She doesn’t know how she knows, but she can hear the words in her head as if he’s already said them. She gears up to answer him when he turns around to face her.

Hakuryuu steps forward and he’s looking at her not with nervousness or earnestness like she expects but with a sad smile. He reaches out and takes her hand gently in his flesh one and she can feel his warmth and his sorrow in that hand. “Won’t you come with me?” he asks softly, holding just her fingertips in a grasp softer than the alighting of freshly fallen snow. 

Morgiana is frozen in place. She doesn’t know how to answer him. Why is he asking such a thing so suddenly? Why is his demeanor now so different from how she feels like he ought to be acting? He’d always been polite and respectful toward her, but while before there had been a sense of urgency and tightly controlled anger about him, now his aura is calm.

“To kill your mother?” she asks. She watches him carefully, looking for any sign of that festering fury she somehow, _somehow_ knows should be there—why does it feel like she’s forgetting something important?—but he simply smiles at her.

“Eventually,” he admits, and his voice is still soft; still gentle. “She will need to be stopped. But first, there are preparations I must make and people I must speak with.”

 _Don’t let him leave,_ the voice in her head warns her urgently. _You absolutely must not allow him to go off on his own._ “Hakuryuu,” she says, and his mismatched gaze on her is piercing but patient in a way that almost makes her trip over her words, “I don’t understand. Why are you asking me this? Why do you not simply stay with us?”

Hakuryuu closes his eyes and shakes his head. “I said before we got caught up in this town’s pirate trouble that it was time for me to go.” Opening his eyes again, he tilts his head just slightly and regards her with open fondness. The look causes Morgiana’s cheeks to pinken. “On this journey, I was able to make friends with such amazing and wonderful people. It’s something I never could have anticipated. But I…” Here, his expression falters and Morgiana wishes she could see into his mind and get even the tiniest glimpse of what he is seeing. She feels like his mind is a locked box and she wonders if a key to it still exists or if he’s destroyed them all to keep the world out. Then she wonders why she would think such a thing when she still hardly knows a thing about him. “I just can’t stay. This isn’t my place. I have a duty to my country.”

She’s losing him. The window for averting tragedy is passing and she’s going to miss it at this rate. _Stop him!_ her brain is screaming now. _If you don’t, many, many people are going to die!_ Morgiana doesn’t know where this voice is coming from but she trusts her instincts and so without even really thinking she blurts out, “Come with me, then.” Once it’s out, she realizes what she’s said and she freezes, her eyes going wide. She hadn’t intended to say that. She’s half opened her mouth to take it back, but then Hakuryuu is looking at her in stunned awe and she knows she’s snagged his interest. Perhaps she hasn’t missed her window after all.

“Go with you?” he echoes, still looking blindsided by the suggestion. Morgiana furrows her eyebrows in determination and expands before he can start making excuses to refuse.

“As you know, tomorrow, me and Alibaba and Aladdin will be going our separate ways for a while. Hakuryuu, you told me before that you were sure I still have family who are alive and out there somewhere. I intend to go to Cathargo, the homeland of my people, to see for myself. Compared with Aladdin and Alibaba, the trip shouldn’t be a long one. Come with me to Cathargo and then I will be free to accompany you to Kou or wherever it is that you must go.”

Hakuryuu is still gaping at her. If she herself is surprised by her proposal, then he is floored. He looks like he can’t believe what she’s just finished telling him. She wonders why, if her invitation is so shocking to him, he ever thought she would agree to come with him in the first place. But then, maybe he didn’t. Maybe he asked expecting to be rejected. To be honest, were it not for the voice in her head telling her to keep him there, she probably would have rejected him. It isn’t that she doesn’t like him. In fact, she quite enjoys his company. It’s just that she has a mission and she still barely knows him.

Barely knows him, she repeats in her head as she remembers that his favorite color is green and his hobby is cooking and if he drinks too much he’ll spend the whole night crying. The memory is gone before she can properly analyze it.

Hakuryuu has recovered now and he’s watching her warily as if worried she’ll take back her offer if he so much as breathes wrong. “If you wish for me to accompany you on your mission,” he says at last, putting his right fist in his left palm and bowing over them respectfully, “then I will. I would be honored to aid you in any way that I may be able.”

Despite herself, Morgiana smiles. She feels relieved in a way that she still doesn’t understand but she thinks that’s okay because life is sometimes funny and incomprehensible and she feels like she’s scored a major victory today. There’s no need to question it right now.

Together, they return to the inn. A part of Morgiana feels like destiny has changed.


	2. Setting Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to those of you who read and enjoyed chapter one. And an extra special thanks to naoto_fuyumine and PrincessZenith for their lovely comments. I'm happy to see that there are still people interested in reading Hakumor fanfiction. Stay gold!

The night before they set out, they use the money from Zagan’s dungeon to buy a feast. They lament that they will be parting ways the next day and make promises to meet up again after Aladdin’s mission in Magnostadt is finished. Alibaba assures them all that by that time he’ll have figured out the secret to performing a full body djinn equip and Hakuryuu teases him because even he already knows how to do it and isn’t it sad that Alibaba is falling so far behind? Aladdin laughs and Morgiana smiles large enough to make everyone else smile as well and then they’re dancing and carrying on like fools and it all feels so very familiar…so very familiar…

But then she catches Hakuryuu’s eye and knows that this is incorrect.

Later in the evening, Alibaba pulls her aside. He’s still merry but his expression has sobered somewhat. He says, “So, Hakuryuu will be going with you tomorrow?”

She nods and he frowns slightly. He looks uncharacteristically thoughtful. “Listen, Morgiana,” he says, and Morgiana wonders at the warning she hears in his tone, “I like Hakuryuu and I think he’s a good guy…but I also think you should watch out for him.”

Morgiana tilts her head questioningly and he explains. “I just get a weird feeling from him sometimes, y’know? I feel like he’s got an agenda and he’ll use any means to achieve it.” He crosses his arms and she can see that he’s uncomfortable. She knows that he doesn’t enjoy being suspicious of his friends and she also understands that he wouldn’t be saying anything if he weren’t truly concerned. “Just take care on your journey, okay?”

After that, Alibaba’s good mood returns and they carry on the night as if the conversation never happened. When they eventually leave the restaurant Alibaba’s mood is even better. He’s grinning to himself and rubbing his hands together and Morgiana has an ill feeling about what’s going through his head.

“You should go ahead and go back first, Morgiana,” he tells her out of the blue and everyone looks at him in curiosity. “You look tired and you should really get some rest for tomorrow. And anyway, you know how unsafe it is for a woman to be out on the streets at night in a town like this. Yes, it would be much safer if you went back ahead of us.” He looks positively conniving as he says this and Morgiana is starting to become disturbed.

“But if the streets are unsafe, then wouldn’t it be better not to split up?” Aladdin reasons. “We wouldn’t want Mor getting in trouble on the way back to the inn.”

Alibaba waves his hand dismissively. “Morgiana is tough. She can handle herself.”

“But you just said—”

Alibaba pulls the small magi in close and whispers something into his ear. Aladdin’s eyes go wide. Suddenly he turns to her and quickly says, “Alibaba is right! You should go back first.”

Hakuryuu looks just as in the dark as she does. He’s glancing back and forth between them and her and wearing a baffled expression. Finally, he says, “In that case, I can walk Lady Morgiana back to the inn. I don’t mind—”

“Nope!” Alibaba cuts him off and throws an arm around his shoulders. “You’re coming with us. Manly solidarity. You can’t refuse.”

“But…” he protests but he doesn’t get to finish. Alibaba is already dragging him off down a connecting street, Aladdin in tow. The blond throws a “Catch you later, Morgiana!” over his shoulder and then they are gone.

Morgiana stands in place and blinks after them for all of twenty seconds before she follows them. She’s too curious about what the boys are up to go back to the inn.

She finds them in a shop that has a naked woman on its sign. The place is open and she can hear laughter and giggling from inside. Through the large windows she sees scantily clad young women sitting with male customers. She doesn’t go inside. Instead, she circles the perimeter until she finds her missing comrades.

She sees Aladdin first. He is nuzzling the chest of a particularly large breasted woman and he looks like he’s found heaven. Beside him, Hakuryuu is sitting between two more women looking flustered and uncomfortable. His back is straight and his legs are together and his hands are on his knees. The women are fawning over him and making comments about him but he can’t seem to answer. She doesn’t think she’s ever seen a person look so completely out of his element. Alibaba, however, is very clearly _in_ his element. He has a crowd of women around him and he’s loudly proclaiming how magnificent and beautiful they all are. “You are all my empresses tonight!” he boasts and receives a shower of giggles from the girls. Morgiana feels irritation and confusion bubble up within her. Alibaba has never acted this way around her. He has never fawned over her or looked at her the way he is looking at the women in this shop. She feels angry and hurt suddenly and she quickly decides she’s had enough. She marches off back to the inn, but not before leaving a nice crater in the ground with her foot. As she leaves, she hears the girls gasp and loudly wonder if there’s been an earthquake.

She goes straight to bed. She doesn’t wake up when the boys return.

That night, she dreams.

She’s in a pub not unlike the one she and her comrades had been in that evening. On one side of her sits Aladdin. He is fifteen and handsome and she’s so proud of how much he’s grown. She’s watched him become a magnificent magi. On her other side is Hakuryuu. He is twenty-one now and he towers over her. His eyes have lost their innocent gleam and his features have sharpened but he’s still beautiful. She has kept her word and observed him carefully over the past three years. She’s relieved that he’s shown no signs of falling back into depravity but she worries about the haunted look she often sees in his eyes.

In front of her is Alibaba. It’s been so long since she’s seen him. Too long. Hearing he was dead had been the most painful thing she’d ever experienced. Now he’s back and he’s looking at her with such adoration he can barely contain it. She’s just told him that she’ll become his wife. It’s the happiest she’s ever been. It doesn’t matter what happens from here, she knows they’ll all be okay. They’re so close to victory, there’s no way they can lose. She feels like she can take on the world.

She takes Alibaba’s hand and they dance and dance and dance and when she wakes up, she’s crying. She quickly uses the hem of her skirt to wipe her tears before anyone can notice. She can still feel a lingering sadness and she wonders why, but she’s already forgotten the dream.

A couple of hours later everyone is packed and standing together on the pier. It’s time to part ways. They say their farewells, promising again to meet at the end of one year. Morgiana’s eyes sweep over her comrades and she takes care to commit their appearances to memory. It will be twelve months before she sees them again and she wants to have a reference for when that day comes.

Aladdin leaves first on his magic carpet. Hakuryuu is next; he boards the ship before her to drop their things off in their cabin. Morgiana is about to join him but Alibaba holds her back. “Wait a second,” he says and she turns back around to look at him curiously. “I almost forgot.” He starts digging in his bag as he explains, “It’s about your household vessel. Since you’re a member of my household, as long as I keep my metal vessel at hand you’ll be able to use its powers.”

“I see,” she says, still watching him rifle curiously. After a moment he finds what he’s looking for and pulls out what looks to be a piece of jewelry. It glints prettily as it catches the morning sunlight.

Alibaba grins at her and proffers up the piece. She can see now that it’s a necklace. It’s gorgeous, but more than that, she feels a rush of emotion when she sees it. “I know you’re already really strong,” he continues, “but I want to be your strength whenever you’re in danger. This is a spare household vessel. I thought you should have one just in case your bracelets get damaged.”

Morgiana takes the lovely piece of jewelry and cradles it delicately in her palms. She will cherish this necklace—she already does.

Alibaba throws a wave over his shoulder as he walks up the gangplank to his ship. Once again, she reminds herself that this is the last time she’ll see him for a whole year. She fastens the necklace around her neck and watches him go with a mixture of sadness and optimism. As his ship sets sail, she bows low to show her gratitude.

 _Until next we meet,_ she bids him wordlessly, then turns to her own ship where Hakuryuu and a new journey await her.

* * *

 

The voyage from Aktia to Heliohapt takes two and a half weeks. Once they arrive, they will have to make the last leg of their journey on foot. Morgiana and Hakuryuu spend the trip in mostly comfortable companionship. The ship has a lounge and Hakuryuu teaches her to play chess to pass the time. It’s a strategy game and Morgiana surprises herself when she takes to it quickly. It helps that Hakuryuu is a patient teacher.

While they play, they often talk. The topic frequently changes, but Morgiana often finds herself asking him questions about his life back in the Kou Empire—usually just small things; like what foods he preferred and how he’d spend his free time. Hakuryuu indulges her curiosity with his usual gentle smile. He shares with her many things about himself, like how when he was a child he would collect clovers from the small garden by the training grounds and leave them around the palace for his older brothers and sister to find, and how when he tired of studying he would go to the kitchens and ask the cooks to teach him how to make rice cakes and dumplings and, when he became older, his favorite dishes. Morgiana imagines a small Hakuryuu standing in front of a countertop that’s just a bit too high for him and molding rice cakes into little animal shapes with a frown of concentration on his face. She imagines his delighted expression when one comes out well and the big, crocodile tears he surely cried whenever he messed one up. Her mental Hakuryuu is perilously adorable and she has trouble hiding her amusement from the real one. He just gives her an odd look as if to say, ‘what’s so funny?’

She doesn’t tell him. She will keep tiny imaginary Hakuryuu to herself.

He attempts to ask her questions about herself as well, but sadly she doesn’t have much to tell. She talks a bit about her childhood but keeps it vague. The memories of the years she spent as Jamil’s slave are still painful and he probably wouldn’t care to hear about them anyway. Instead, she tells him about her training and how she can remember, just barely, clean grass under her feet and running freely in a land rich in beauty. She thinks this must be her home and she tells him so. She’s excited but also apprehensive about returning. She doesn’t know what to expect.

Hakuryuu smiles at her and tells her he’s certain she’ll meet her people one day. He believes it without a doubt. He’s also sure they will welcome her home. He sounds so confident that Morgiana can’t help but believe him. She looks down at the chess board to hide her hopeful flush. Somehow, she’s very happy that they’re talking like this. It always seems to take a world ending crisis to get Alibaba and Aladdin to talk about themselves, but Hakuryuu offers information freely. He’s happy to answer her questions and listen to her in return and even though she knows he isn’t telling her everything, she now has a much clearer picture of the person who is Hakuryuu.

On the last night before they arrive in Heliohapt, Morgiana finally manages to beat him. She’s very pleased with herself and Hakuryuu wears a large smile as he congratulates her. “You’re a very quick learner,” he praises. She would have thought he’d be upset to be beaten by an amateur, but he actually seems happy to have lost to her. “You have a good head for strategy,” he tells her as he resets the board for the next players. “You know, in Kou, we have a game not unlike chess called xiangqi. Perhaps when we go there I can teach you. If you want, that is.”

Morgiana smiles. Instead of answering, she says, “I always thought of you as goal-driven and single-minded, but your interests are surprisingly diverse.”

Hakuryuu laughs at that. “Every skill honed is a door opened,” he recites. “A man trapped in a hall with no doors is a man who will never go anywhere.” He crosses his arms and leans back in his chair. “That, and I would’ve gone nuts if all I did was train and study.”

Morgiana blinks. Could it be that Hakuryuu has a playful side after all? Somehow, the thought of it doesn’t mesh with the image she’s had of him up until now. It’s strange; she’d seen him go ballistic just two weeks ago in the pirates’ stronghold—he’d been ready to rip apart his own body for the sake of his anger—but ever since, he’s been calm and even-tempered. Something inside her is telling her that this behavior is wrong. This isn’t how he’s supposed to be acting right now. But she has nothing to base this feeling on so she shrugs it off. “I see,” she says and offers him a small, playful smile. “Then I’m counting on you to teach me your Kou chess.”

Hakuryuu puts his hands together and bows. “It will be my pleasure.” He then stands from his chair and moves around the table to offer her his hand. “Come on. We should probably get some rest if we’re going to be traveling on foot all day tomorrow.” The gesture is strange to her because she’s not used to being treated so formally but she takes his hand and allows him to help her to her feet. After that, they retreat to their cabin. Morgiana is surprised to find that she’s a little sad that this leg of their voyage has come to an end. She’s going to miss playing chess.


	3. The Road to Cathargo

Heliohapt is hot. The blazing sun makes the desert feel like a furnace. There is sand everywhere. It gets in their clothes and sweeps across the roads making it difficult to walk. Morgiana has to tread carefully to keep her feet from burning. Noon is the hottest part of the day and they take refuge in a roadside tavern while they wait for the sun to pass its zenith. There, they refill their water skins and stock up on food. They don’t know long it will take to travel between towns and they need to be prepared. Hakuryuu’s nose is already starting to burn and Morgiana can feel her neck and upper arms succumbing as well. She doesn’t know how he’s surviving in all those layers.

Her answer comes when they set out again an hour later. He takes a long look at the blazing sun and then at her and then he unties the thin belt at his waist and removes the padded cloth from around his middle. Morgiana wonders where he’s going to put it and is surprised when he hands it to her. “Here. Drape this over your shoulders. It’ll protect you from the sun.”

She takes it but gives him an uncertain look. She wonders if it’s really okay to take his clothing like this. It’s so nice and white. She’s afraid she’ll get it dirty. Hakuryuu smiles and says, “It’s fine. These clothes aren’t really suited for this climate and you’re going to be uncomfortable if you burn too much.”

She nods and throws the garment over her shoulders as he reties his belt. She still thinks he’s wearing too many layers but she keeps the thought to herself. If he’s fine roasting, then she’s happy to let him.

They spend the rest of the day walking. It would have been easier to hitch a ride with someone, but unfortunately it seems there isn’t much traffic coming in and out of Cathargo these days. That’s fine with Morgiana, though. She enjoys walking and the trip is much nicer with company. She could’ve made better time on her own as she could have run most of the way, but despite being a prince, Hakuryuu is no slouch and they still beat a pretty good pace. It’s thanks to this that they manage to reach the next town before nightfall.

Hakuryuu books a room for them at the local inn and Morgiana promptly goes for a bath. She’s covered in sand and starting to smell and while she’s never been afraid of a bit of dirt, there’s definitely a line and it’s been soundly crossed. She grabs the soap from her bag and heads for the washroom with the kind of single-minded determination normally reserved for Nanaumi whenever she’s in a room with King Takeruhiko.

She stops. Nanaumi? She tries to place the name but it slips from her mind like the soap in her hand. She shakes her head and continues on to the washroom. She’s already forgotten why she stopped in the first place.

The washroom is surprisingly nice for belonging to the only inn of such a small town. There’s a large mirror situated near the tub and after she undresses she takes a moment to examine herself. She frowns at the pinkness on her neck and arms and is once again grateful to Hakuryuu for letting her borrow his clothes. It’s been a while since she last had access to a mirror and she’s a bit surprised at what she sees. For some reason she looks smaller than she remembers. Her breasts are less full and her arms are skinnier and her hips are narrower. But, she reminds herself, she’s only fifteen. She’s perfectly average for her age. Hips and breasts will come with time.

The tub is wonderful. The water washes away all the sweat and grime from her body and relaxes her muscles. She takes care to be thorough when washing her hair and scrubbing the sand from between her toes, and when she steps out she feels like a new Morgiana. She dons a fresh dress and pads back down the hall to her and Hakuryuu’s room.

It’s clear when she walks in that Hakuryuu isn’t expecting her. He’s sitting on the edge of his bed and he’s stripped down to his pants and under-tunic. The left side of his tunic is bunched around his waist as he inspects his wooden arm. His whole left side is visible and she sees scar tissue running in splotchy patterns from his neck to his upper arm and all the way down his torso. She sucks in a breath at the sight and the sound causes him to jump. He quickly turns his body around to face her and thrusts his arm back into the sleeve of his tunic. “L-Lady Morgiana,” he stutters, pulling the material closed over his chest. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting…er, anticipating…I mean, I didn’t think you’d be back so soon.”

She just stares at him. She doesn’t know what to say. She’s never seen his chest before and she never expected to see such a grievous injury. She can only imagine the agony a burn like that must’ve caused him.

Hakuryuu has averted his eyes from her. He looks ashamed. “I apologize,” he says again. “That’s probably not something you wanted to see.”

Morgiana snaps out of her shock and shakes her head. “No,” she denies. “There’s no need to apologize. It was my own fault for entering as I did.” She takes a deep breath and wonders if she’s going to regret the question she’s about to ask. “Those scars…they’re from the fire that you lost your brothers to, correct?” She remembers him briefly explaining what happened while they were still in Aktia. He told them his mother started the fire. She had wanted to dispose of them. Hakuryuu had been the sole survivor.

Hakuryuu is silent for a moment and his expression is pained. She can tell the memory still haunts him. “That’s right,” he says at last. “My oldest brother, Hakuyuu…he knew he was going to die…so he…” He pauses and she can see a shadow pass over his face. She wonders what he is seeing. “He covered me in his blood to stop the flames from burning me. He wanted me, at least, to make it out. He told me to avenge them.”

Morgiana’s eyes widen. She understands now why he’d flown so off the hook back in the pirates’ base. He’d probably been made to relive that horrifying experience all over again. It’s no wonder he is so full of rage at his mother. Morgiana doesn’t have any memories of her own mother, but the image in her heart is of a beautiful, caring woman who still loves her even after so many years apart and even though Morgiana won’t be able to recognize her if she sees her. That’s just how mothers are.

There had been a time when Hakuryuu had believed his mother was the same. How awful it must have been for him to find out he was wrong.

She crosses the room in only a few steps and Hakuryuu starts when she grabs his shoulders. He is skittish; like a dog who expects a beating. Morgiana knows little about comforting others but she leans down and presses her forehead to his. In her tribe, it is a way of showing others that you wish to share their pain. Hakuryuu is not a Fanalis but he seems to understand.

“Thank you, Lady Morgiana,” he tells her, pulling back from the contact. He is polite and his mouth is smiling but the motion to move away from her is executed with intentional swiftness. The haunted look is back in his eyes. “I appreciate your support, but you don’t have to worry. I made a promise to someone I care about very much that I won’t let my anger control me.”

Morgiana pulls back as well and nods once firmly. “Then that’s good.” She chooses not to remark on the fact that he had let his anger control him just three weeks ago when he fought Alibaba under the influence of Umm Madaura. She wonders when he made this promise and to whom, because up until that same time she could sense the anger still inside him, festering just below the surface.

Hakuryuu stands and snatches up a neatly folded stack of fresh clothes that she only now notices had been sitting beside him all the while. “I’m going to go for a bath,” he tells her. His eyes are back to normal now. Whatever dark thoughts he’d been having just a moment ago have passed. Morgiana nods and walks the few steps to her bed. Perhaps it was the full day of traveling, but she’s feeling suddenly very tired.

She settles in and closes her eyes. Briefly, she thinks about Alibaba and Aladdin and wonders how they’re doing. She wonders if Aladdin was able to infiltrate Magnostadt okay and if Alibaba managed to find someone to train him. Knowing them, they’re both getting by somehow. She’s asleep before Hakuryuu gets back.

* * *

 

That night, Morgiana dreams again.

She and Aladdin and Alibaba are gearing up to set out. Alibaba still has lots of work to do for his trading company and both he and Morgiana are eager to spread news of their engagement. Not to mention the threat of Sinbad and David and Arba have yet to be properly taken care of.

There is slight confusion when she and Alibaba realize Hakuryuu is no longer with them. She asks Aladdin about it and he tells her Hakuryuu has gone off on a quest to find Judar. At this news, Morgiana tastes a small amount of guilt. She knows that she hurt him when she accepted Alibaba’s proposal, but it was unavoidable. To be honest, she’s not really that surprised that he left. She’s a little sad, though. She’s spent every day of the past three years with him and now that he’s gone she feels a small empty spot in her heart. She wishes he would’ve said goodbye at least.

They set off on their journey and Hakuryuu is quickly forgotten in the whirl of familiar faces and friendly negotiations. A month passes. Then two. Morgiana is blissfully happy. Everything is coming together. The world is more or less at peace and trade is going smoothly. There are still a few minor uprisings here and there and flu season has hit Aktia and Mystania particularly hard this year, but things are overwhelmingly looking up. Morgiana and Alibaba have started talking about plans for their wedding. They’re eager to marry and start building a family.

But first, there’s still the matter of David and Arba to deal with. Weddings and families can wait a bit longer.

Morgiana wakes to sunlight. There’s a beam coming down directly on her face. She hears a rustle of fabric and sees Hakuryuu already up and quietly packing away their things. He’s dressed lighter today, wearing only a tunic and his usual black pants. His hair is up in its topknot and the white ribbons hang down over his back as he kneels before their packs. He looks focused.

She sits up and the sound of rustling sheets catches his attention. “Good morning, Lady Morgiana,” he greets her with his usual smile. “How did you sleep?”

Morgiana frowns and scrunches up her nose in thought as she considers his question. She knows she had a dream but she’s having trouble recalling it. “I think I dreamt I was getting married.”

Something in Hakuryuu’s expression shifts. “Oh? To who?”

Who? Morgiana wracks her brain for the information but nothing appears. She shakes her head. “I can’t remember.”

Hakuryuu stares at her for a long moment. He’s wearing a slight frown. He turns back to his task. “Strange. Perhaps you subconsciously yearn for lifelong companionship.” He turns back to her briefly and smirks. “Or maybe you just ate something weird.”

Morgiana puffs out her cheeks and huffs. Why do people always tease her about her eating habits? Really. She’s not that strange.

They set out again and the day is even hotter than the one before. Luckily, people have built shelters periodically along the road and they stop often to drink water and take a few moments’ shelter from the blazing sun.

Around early afternoon they encounter a small caravan heading the opposite direction from them. It’s the first sign of other people they’ve seen on the road since leaving the port and they stop briefly for a chat.

“Well, well! Didn’t ‘xpect to run into a couple a’ teenagers all the way out here,” the caravan’s lead driver says when he sees them. He’s a large, friendly looking man with a big, bushy beard. “And what a pair y’are. A Kou kid and a Fanalis.” He looks at Morgiana. “You best be aware you’re headed into dangerous territory the way you’re goin’, little lady,” he warns. “Folks down south would trade their own mothers to get their hands on one o’ your kind.” He glances briefly at Hakuryuu and then adds in a loud whisper, “Your friend here’s a bit skinny for a body guard.”

Hakuryuu scrunches up his nose in offense and Morgiana can’t stop the laugh that bubbles out from the back of her throat. “Thank you for your concern, but we will be alright,” she assures the man. “I’m quite strong.”

Hakuryuu looks at her in betrayal.

“How much longer to the next town?” she asks, pretending not to notice her companion’s sulking.

“’Bout a day still if you’re on foot,” he answers. He peers at Hakuryuu again and scratches his beard. “You sure he’s goin’ t’be okay?” he asks her. “He’s awful delicate lookin’.”

Hakuryuu finally snaps. “Just who are you calling skinny and delicate!” he rages. “I’m from Kou! This is just how we look, okay!”

Morgiana laughs again and the big caravan driver grins down at Hakuryuu apologetically. “Sorry, little master. Not meanin’ to offend.”

Hakuryuu growls in his throat and mutters something about not everyone being able to be a giant bear of a man and he knows he’s not particularly tall but he’s a solid average, thank you very much. Morgiana ignores him. “Thank you for the information,” she says and bows to the man politely.

“Sure. ‘M happy to help.” He gears up to leave but then he pauses and adds, “By the by, if you’re plannin’ to camp in the desert, y’best take care. It gets awfully cold at night.”

Morgiana nods. “We will. Thank you.”

The man offers a parting wave and then he and his caravan continue on. Morgiana bows low after them. Once they are a good distance away, she turns back to Hakuryuu. He's scowling after the caravan and looking pouty. She nudges him. “You really are sensitive.”

He turns his pout on her. “Sorry I have so many faults!”

She smiles and grabs a fistful of his sleeve. “Come on, crybaby. We’ve got a lot of distance to cover before nightfall.” She doesn't wait for him to reply; just hauls him roughly after her.


	4. Rain Feast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness! I received some seriously nice comments in between the last chapter and this one and I just want to say that even though there aren’t many of us, you all are some of the nicest and most thoughtful people who have ever commented on a story of mine and I’m so grateful that you all exist and are so lovely. I’ll continue to do my best with this story and do my part to keep Hakumor alive because Hakuryuu and Morgiana are beautiful and deserve all the love. 
> 
> That said, enjoy chapter four! I’m sorry the chapters are so short. They may start getting a little longer after this. Got a lot to get through.

The caravan driver was right. A few hours later the sun begins to set and there’s still no sign of any towns nearby. And, just as he said, the temperature begins to drop the moment the sun disappears. Morgiana takes charge of laying out their bedrolls and she situates them close beside each other in order to conserve warmth. The blankets they carry are thick, but already it is colder than Morgiana had anticipated. She starts to think that they are underprepared after all and voices her concern to her companion.

Hakuryuu smiles and says, “Don’t worry. We’ll just start a fire and then we’ll be fine.”

Morgiana regards him oddly. “But we have no wood.”

“No,” he agrees, “but we’re about to.” He raises his halberd and commands, “Zagan! Dwell within me!” There’s a flash of light and then Hakuryuu stands before her fully djinn-equipped. It’s the first time she’s seen him perform a full equip and the sight of him cloaked in black fills her with awe. He looks powerful and also a little terrifying. The memory of his equip in the pirates’ base is still fresh in her mind.

“In this form I can take control of the pollen and bacteria in the air and form it into any shape I desire,” he explains. He focuses the tip of his ornate, dual sided spear on the bare spot of ground in front of him and right before her eyes a root takes form from seemingly nothing. In a matter of moments, they have a whole pile of wood ready for lighting. Hakuryuu releases the transformation with a sigh. “There.”

They have no flint or tinder but Morgiana already has a solution for that problem. She’s a member of Alibaba’s household, after all, and Alibaba’s djinn commands fire. Together, she and Hakuryuu are the perfect formula for an instant toasty campfire.

A few minutes later, they sit around their magically conjured fire and enjoy a meal of bread and cheese and dried meat before turning in for the night. At first Morgiana thinks that Hakuryuu will balk at the prospect of sleeping so close to her, but he slips into his bedroll without a word about it. She shrugs and lies down beside him. She’s glad for the fire as she slips into dreams.

In her dream, she’s in Parthevia. She and Alibaba and Aladdin are visiting Sinbad at his company headquarters. Aladdin thinks he’s ascertained the true nature of destiny and he’s shining more brightly than ever as he explains his views to Sinbad. His speech moves the hearts of everyone in the room and Morgiana is sure even Sinbad is swayed. She believes Aladdin is correct. She believes destiny is something created by everyone’s wishes. She believes that a strong enough wish can alter its course.

Later, as they’re walking back to their lodgings, Alibaba takes her hand. “Aladdin’s right,” he says. His eyes are shining. He’s positively radiating self-assuredness. “It’s up to everyone to decide the course of this world. Nothing’s ever set in stone.” He squeezes her hand. “If we don’t like something, we’ll just find a way to make it better. That’s what it means to be human.”

Morgiana echoes his smile and, putting one foot in front of the other, steps forward into her future.

When she wakes, the sun is just about to rise. It’s still cold but she knows the temperature will shoot up quickly. Her back is pressed up against Hakuryuu’s side and she figures she must have migrated to his bedroll in the night in search of warmth. She lazily sits up and looks down at her companion. Hakuryuu is still slumbering peacefully. His face is relaxed and his lips are parted just slightly as he breathes softly through his mouth. He looks very young—younger than she thinks he ought to look. For some reason she can imagine with perfect clarity what he will look like several years from now. His eyes will be sharper and his jaw more defined. He’ll be tall and commanding and just as beautiful as he is now but in a harder, more world worn way.

She shakes her head and gets up to prepare for the day. Why is she spending time considering such things? There’s no way to know for sure what her friend will look like in the future. She lets the thought fade back into her subconscious.

That afternoon, they find a town. It’s small, but it has an inn and Morgiana and Hakuryuu are glad for it. They’re mildly curious when they see the townsfolk busily putting up decorations and setting up an enormous tent over the town square. They also notice that clouds have rolled in and now obscure the previously barren sky.

“You kids come to see the rains?” the innkeeper asks them as he hands over their room key. Morgiana and Hakuryuu look at each other in confusion and then back at the innkeeper and shake their heads.

“No. What’s that?” Hakuryuu asks for both of them.

The innkeeper grins. “You know the desert is dry and hot all the time, right? Well, twice every year we get a big rainstorm through these parts. It’s a very important time for everyone who makes their home in the desert. Without the rains, we wouldn’t be able to make a living out here. Because of that we always celebrate the occasion with a feast.”

“A feast?” Morgiana echoes, perking up. She’s ready for some real food after camping out the previous night. Hakuryuu looks like he’s thinking the same thing.

“You bet! I hope you two’ll join us. Whether you make your home here or are merely passing through, everyone with the determination and resolve to face the desert are comrades in this town.”

Morgiana and Hakuryuu exchange excited looks. A feast! It sounds like they’ve dodged one hell of an arrow by coming to this town tonight. If they’d spent another night in the desert they would’ve been caught in the storm. Instead, not only do they get a roof over their heads, they get to attend a party too.

They drop their things off in their room and an hour later the innkeeper leads them to the square where preparations have been completed and what looks to be the entire population of the town are gathering together under the humongous tent. Beneath the tent is a raised platform covered in low tables and carpets with colorful cushions. The man shows them to some free seats and the people around them greet them as they sit.

“Welcome, travelers!” an older man says jovially, raising a cup of wine. “Whereabouts are you young’ns from?”

A young woman to his left laughs and swats his arm. “You can tell just by looking at them, can’t you?” She points to each of them in turn and says, “Kou and Cathargo, right?”

Hakuryuu scratches the back of his head shyly and Morgiana nods. “Probably,” she answers. “I’m on my way there to find out.”

The woman looks at her in surprise. “You’re going there?”

“Better watch yourself if that’s where you’re headed, missy,” the old man contributes, reflecting the warning of the caravan driver from the previous day. “Ain’t such a safe place for a Fanalis to be wandering into these days."

Morgiana blinks. “But surely there are Fanalis still living there, right?”

The man shrugs. “If there are, they’re doing a hell of a job of hiding.”

Morgiana looks down at the table and frowns. So it’s true. There really aren’t any Fanalis left in their homeland. She won’t give up so easily, though. She’s determined to see her people’s home for herself. She needs to know where she came from.

She feels a hand on her shoulder. “They’re there,” Hakuryuu assures her. “You’re going to find them. Even if it’s not tomorrow or the next day or even the next year, someday you’ll find your people.”

The woman looks skeptical. “You really think there are still Fanalis down there somewhere? You know that the slave traders wiped them out pretty thoroughly, right?”

Hakuryuu gives her a steady, confident look. “I know there are.”

Morgiana looks back up at him in interest. She wonders again how he can sound so sure. There isn’t a single doubt in his voice. He truly believes that her people are still living freely somewhere and she’ll see them again someday. It gives her hope. She wants to believe him more than anything.

“Well, damn,” the woman says. “If you believe it that much, then hell, I do too.” She turns to the old man and nudges him. “Right, Menos?”

The old man, Menos, gives them a grin. “Stranger things’ve happened,” he concedes.

Hakuryuu smiles down at her. Morgiana looks at him and then at the supportive faces of their two new friends and feels heat rise to her cheeks. She smiles back at her companion. “Thank you. I hope you’re right.”

Soon, food starts to arrive on heaping platters. There are meats and fruits that Morgiana has never seen before but everything looks delicious. Once the food has all been set out, a strong looking man who looks to be the town’s leader stands up and calls for attention.

“Welcome, everyone!” he greets in a big voice. “The weather has become cool and the sky dark. It is time once again for the rains!”

A cheer goes up from the people sitting around them. Cups of wine and beer are being raised. Morgiana and Hakuryuu take their cups and follow suit.

“Tonight is a night for celebration,” the man continues. “And what better way is there to start a celebration than with a toast!” He pauses as the people cheer again. “May our crops grow large and our bellies stay always full. Here’s to our continued prosperity!” He raises his cup and everyone knocks theirs together. Hakuryuu and Morgiana toast Melos and the young woman and then each other. Both are wearing big smiles. After the toast, everyone takes a long, hearty pull of their drink and the feast begins.

Morgiana quickly notices that there is no water; only spirits. That’s fine for her, but she looks over at Hakuryuu who is taking a long sip from his cup and touches his arm concernedly. “Hey, you’d better not drink too much or you’re going to cry all night,” she warns him.

Hakuryuu gives her a pouty, affronted look. He opens his mouth to retort but then he stops short and his eyes widen. “Wait…what did you just say?”

Morgiana is taken aback by his shift in attitude. “That you’re going to end up crying all night if you drink?”

Hakuryuu gives her a long, searching look. “How…how do you know that?”

Morgiana scoffs. “Obviously it’s because you always…” She stops and her eyes widen as well. How _does_ she know this? She’s never seen Hakuryuu drink before.

…right?

While a second ago she’d been completely sure, now she doesn’t know anymore. Why did she think she’d seen him drink many times? The two of them aren’t even properly old enough to be drinking. She scratches her head. “I…I don’t know. For some reason I just feel like I know that about you.”

Hakuryuu looks down and his hand tightens around his cup. A moment passes. When he looks back up he’s smiling like usual. “Well then, I’ll just have to prove you wrong.”

Morgiana feels like she’s just missed something. But she can’t put her finger on what it is, so she ignores it.

A few minutes later, they hear the distinctive pitter patter of raindrops on the roof of the tent. It’s slow at first, but it only takes a few moments for everyone to notice what’s happening. The storm has come. An excited hush travels through the tent as people stop talking to listen. It doesn’t take long for the rain to pick up and in a matter of moments the skies open up and the heavens begin to dump. Large torrents of water crash down on the tent and a cheer goes up through the people gathered beneath it. It’s almost scary how heavy the rain is, Morgiana thinks, but the townspeople are ecstatic. They all drain their cups and run to the sides of the tent, whooping and hollering, and as she watches they hold the cups out under the downpour. Now she sees why they weren’t served water at the beginning of the meal.

She and Hakuryuu watch with fascination as the men and women of the town excitedly fill their cups and then down them like, well, thirsty men in a desert. The rain is coming down so hard that in a matter of minutes the streets have turned to rivers. It’s an amazing sight to behold and Morgiana only now notices that the houses are all built on stilts. All around them, people have begun to jump from the platform and dance under the deluge. Catching the enthusiasm of the townsfolk, Morgiana turns to Hakuryuu and grabs his wooden hand. “Come!” she commands, giving the appendage a shake.

Hakuryuu looks at her in confusion. “What—?” he starts but she’s already dragging him off the platform and into the rain. The water comes up to mid-calf and Hakuryuu makes a noise of protest as his boots splash into the stream. Morgiana is already drenched and she laughs as rainwater showers down on her. She throws out her arms and gives a twirl, delighting in the cool feeling of water on her skin and her dress clinging to her body. She feels her stresses washing away and her soul being cleansed.

Beside her, Hakuryuu is watching her unsurely. She grabs his hands and forces him to dance with her and soon he is laughing along with her, no longer giving a thought to his clothes or propriety. Together, they stomp around and twirl and laugh and just enjoy the novelty of the situation.

Oddly, Morgiana is very happy that it’s Hakuryuu here with her. She suddenly has a feeling like she’s been missing him, even though he’s been with her since they first set out to capture Zagan’s dungeon all those months ago. Maybe she’s just feeling grateful to him for accompanying her on this journey. He’s done nothing but support her and encourage her since the very beginning and somehow he already feels like someone she’s known for a long time; far longer than just a few months.

She’s feeling such exuberance that she sticks her hands in the water and splashes a large amount of water onto her companion. He splutters and looks at her indignantly which just causes her to splash him again. The townspeople see what she’s doing and an all-out splash war breaks out. People are throwing water at each other left and right and Morgiana continues to assault Hakuryuu with a vengeance as he attempts and largely fails to retaliate. Finally, he gives up and simply throws his arms around her to immobilize her and she laughs at the harried look on his face. She could easily throw him off but she’s starting to get chilly and his body is warm so she allows herself to be captured a little while longer. She can feel his heart racing in his chest from exertion. It’s pounding against her own chest and somehow she’s reassured by it. He smells like kind and warm plants. _He’s here,_ she thinks. _He’s alive._

A moment later, when he finally lets her go, she’ll forget she thought such a thing.


	5. The Great Rift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! With this, we're finally getting somewhere. As usual, thank you very much to those of you who commented/left kudos. I had to go to the hospital to get a toenail removed today (yeah, ouch) and just seeing the rise in the number of views on this story made the pain more bearable. (Or maybe that was just the painkillers. Whatev.) 
> 
> In any case, know that I'm grateful to every one of you. Please enjoy this extra long chapter. :Db
> 
> (Ps. I'm sorry if the pacing seems slightly rushed. I'm trying to keep the ball rolling as much as possible.)

The feast is magnificent but soon it’s time to turn in. Morgiana and Hakuryuu fall into their beds that night exhausted but satisfied. Their hair is still damp and they grin at each other from their pillows before closing their eyes and letting sleep take them. Morgiana can’t remember the last time she had such fun. She thinks she likes this town very much and she definitely wants to come back someday and experience the rain feast again. Perhaps next time Aladdin and Alibaba will be with them.

The next morning when they wake up the rains have passed and the weather is back to being dry and scorching. They say goodbye to the innkeeper and thank him for allowing them to join their celebration.

“Of course!” the man replies, grinning wide. “You two sure looked like you were enjoying yourselves. Come back and join us again sometime, yeah?”

Hakuryuu puts his hands together and bows to the man and Morgiana smiles and nods. “We’d like that.”

“Just so you know,” the man says, leaning forward over the counter and raising an eyebrow conspiratorially, “weddings held during the rains are blessed and promise a lifetime of happiness and love.” He looks back and forth between them. “Not that I mean to assume anything. Just thought I’d put that out there. Fun facts and all that.”

Morgiana blinks and Hakuryuu blushes brightly and scratches the back of his head. “Thanks,” he says sounding flustered. “For the, uh, fun fact.”

The larger man reaches over the counter and ruffles his hair. “Stay safe out there, kids,” he tells them as they turn to go. “Be sure to stop in and say hi if you ever pass through again.”

The two of them nod and then they leave the inn and continue on their way. They will both miss this town and its friendly people. Morgiana thinks that if everyone acted like the people of this town, there wouldn’t be any need for war. She will definitely come back someday. Until then, she’ll treasure the wonderful memories she’s made here.

It takes another full week to reach the border between Heliohapt and Cathargo. It has now been over a month since Morgiana and Hakuryuu parted ways with Aladdin and Alibaba. As they cross into Cathargo territory Morgiana wonders what she will find.

The transition from Heliohapt to Cathargo is marked by the reappearance of trees and hot sand turning to dry earth. They’ve officially left the desert behind and before them stretches a vast savannah. Morgiana feels like this new landscape is familiar to her and she thinks she must be close. Her excitement and trepidation build with ever kilometer.

The town Masrur told her to seek out isn’t far from the border and only takes a few hours to reach on foot. Morgiana’s heart speeds up when she sees buildings in the distance. _At last,_ she thinks. _I’ve made it_. However, when they enter the town the first thing she thinks is that it doesn’t come anywhere close to resembling the image of her hometown that she carries in her heart. The place is rundown and the few people she sees are rough and worn. It’s a town that was probably once quite prosperous but has clearly outlived its heyday. As she and Hakuryuu walk down its streets, it becomes ever more apparent that there are no Fanalis here.

Morgiana’s heart sinks. A part of her feels cheated. She came all this way only to find nothing. But it’s not like she was unprepared for this eventuality. She’s disappointed, yes, but she knew from the beginning not to get her hopes up. Hakuryuu puts a hand on her shoulder. “Just because they’re not here doesn’t mean they’re not anywhere,” he assures her.

They stop in a tavern to see if they can get any information from the locals. The tavern is every bit as seedy and washed out as the rest of the town and Morgiana feels a sharp sadness for what this place has become. To think this was once the home of her people. It leaves a bitter taste in her mouth.

The moment they step through the door, every eye in the place is on them. It’s immediately apparent that these people don’t get visitors often.

“Isn’t that little girl a Fanalis?” a man mutters, nudging his buddy. “I thought they were all captured.” The two of them look over at Morgiana with cautious curiosity. “Could it be she came from _over there_?”

“Idiot,” his friend mutters back. “That’s just a superstition.”

Hakuryuu’s eyes narrow and he walks over to the table where the two men are sitting. “What is?” he asks, drawing the attention of the tavern to the duo.

The men look back and forth between him and Morgiana warily. They look hesitant to engage a stranger but the second man answers anyway. “That on the other side of the great rift that splits the dark continent in two there are still Fanalis.”

Morgiana immediately perks up. “There are still Fanalis living on the other side of the great rift?” she repeats, coming up beside her companion. Hope swells in her chest. “Really?”

The men regard her with suspicion. “That’s what they say,” the first one answers. “But nobody who’s crossed has ever returned.”

Morgiana turns to Hakuryuu. Her eyes are shining. “You were right!” she tells him, excitement swelling in her breast. “If there are still Fanalis living on the other side of this great rift then all we have to do is cross over and find them.”

He nods and the corners of his lips turn upward. “Then we know our next destination.”

They leave the tavern without another word and the moment they’re outside Hakuryuu pulls out his map. The thick black line labeled “The Great Rift” is not far; only about a two-day walk. They briefly stop by what passes for a market to stock up on supplies before heading out. They don’t even bother staying the night.

* * *

 

The gaping chasm that greets them at the end of their journey makes the name “The Great Rift” sound like a gross understatement. It’s so wide that Morgiana can’t see to the other side and so deep that all she sees when she looks down is inky darkness. The place fills her with apprehension.

“It’s amazing,” Hakuryuu says, standing beside her at the edge. He uses the butt of his halberd to knock a small rock into the chasm and the two wait but they never hear it land.

It looks like the edge of the world to Morgiana and she takes an instinctive step back from the drop. The sight of the terrible scar fills her with an odd mixture of terror and resolve. It frightens her more than anything but to see her people she is prepared to face any challenge. She swallows her fear and says, “I have to cross. I need to see for myself if there are really still Fanalis on the other side.”

Hakuryuu nods. His eyebrows are lowered in determination. “I understand. We can go whenever you’re ready.”

Morgiana turns sharply to face him, her eyes widening. “You would continue to follow me? Even down there?”

Hakuryuu’s brow relaxes and he smiles at her. “I said I would, didn’t I? You asked me to accompany you on this journey and I agreed. The journey isn’t over yet.”

“But,” she protests. She never thought he would be willing to go so far. It boggles her mind that anyone would willingly venture into such a place just for the sake of a friend. She thinks about telling him that, but instead she says, “How are you going to get down. I can’t carry both of us with these chains.” She holds up her arms demonstratively.

“No,” he agrees. “But I can.” He raises his halberd. “If I perform a djinn equip, getting to the bottom won’t be a problem.”

Morgiana just looks at him for a long moment and then nods reluctantly. “I see.” She faces the chasm and furrows her eyebrows in determination. She’s surprised to find that a large part of her is relieved that Hakuryuu isn’t going to leave her. While she would do anything to see her people, the thought of facing the darkness alone gives her chills. She takes a deep breath. “Then I’m ready.”

There is a flash of light and Hakuryuu stands before her fully transformed for the second time. Morgiana is struck again by how frightening he looks wearing Zagan’s magic. The black plumage and cold red eyes make him look sinister. Alibaba’s warning from the night before she left Aktia flashes in her head. _Watch out for him,_ his voice replays in her ears. She shakes her head to rid herself of it. She knows how gentle and careful Hakuryuu is. He won’t hurt her.

She’s proud of herself for suppressing her instinct to flinch when Hakuryuu bends down and scoops her up into his arms. She braces her arms around his neck as he turns to face the rift again. “Still ready?”

“Yes,” she answers, tightening her hold on him.

He jumps.

* * *

 

It takes only a few seconds for the blackness to completely swallow them. After about thirty seconds the only thing keeping Morgiana from feeling like she’s become lost in space is the feel of Hakuryuu’s arms around her and the rhythmic beating of his heart against her side.

A minute passes.

Two minutes.

Five minutes.

Every time Morgiana thinks they must nearly be at the bottom, their descent continues. 

Ten minutes.

Fifteen minutes.

Still, they haven’t reached the end. Morgiana can feel anxiety mounting in her chest. What if there is no bottom? What if they’ve already fallen so far that they won’t be able to get back up? Which way even is up?

“Calm down,” Hakuryuu instructs gently. He can probably feel her heart racing wildly in her chest. “This hole can’t go on for much longer.”

True to his word, they finally touch down about half a minute later. Hakuryuu sets her on her feet and she collapses to the ground. Feeling cool earth beneath her brings instant relief and her heart rate finally begins to calm. She’s still alive. She’s hasn’t plunged into hell.

She feels a hand brush her clumsily in the dark and then come to rest on her arm. “Are you okay?” Hakuryuu asks. She can hear his clothing rustle and infers that he’s trying to look around. “It’s so dark down here…I can’t tell up from down.”

Morgiana takes his hand so she doesn’t lose him. She can tell from the feeling of soft skin under her fingers that he’s released his transformation. “The only way to go is forward. If we just keep going, we’ll have to reach the other side eventually.”

“Great,” he says. “But which way is forward?”

Morgiana already knows how to solve that problem. She takes a deep breath and then blasts a wave of sound out around her. She can detect a wall at her back and the person shaped form that is Hakuryuu at her side. In front of them is wide, open space. She tugs on Hakuryuu’s hand and begins to walk. “This way.”

Hakuryuu tightens his grip on her hand but follows without protest.

They don’t know how long they walk. It’s impossible to keep track of time in the darkness so they pass the journey in small snippets of conversation. Mostly they talk about trivial things; stuff like how annoying monsoon season is in Kou and how many bug bites they both got back in Sindria and what they would do if they were forced to live in the rift.

“I think we would starve pretty fast,” Hakuryuu submits. “As far as I can tell there aren’t any animals or plants living down here.”

Morgiana hums in agreement. “We could have Aladdin and Alibaba throw livestock down for us,” she suggests.

Hakuryuu laughs at that. “Then I suppose I could use Zagan to make wood for a house,” he concedes. “You don’t think Aladdin and Alibaba would throw down and lantern and some oil, do you?”

Morgiana smiles even though her companion can’t see it. “We’ll be relying on them a lot,” she observes.

“Aladdin has that magic carpet. They can come down for tea from time to time.”

“They’ll have to bring the water.”

The two of them laugh as they realize how silly their conversation has become. Again, Morgiana thinks about how happy she is to have company. Had she come alone, the fear might really have been too much. Hakuryuu is a calm, grounding presence at her side and she’s finding herself relying on him more and more. Back when she first met him, she never would have guessed that the kind but private young prince from Kou would become such a person for her. 

They don’t know how many hours have passed but eventually they both feel exhaustion creep in and decide to stop for the night. Or morning. Or afternoon. They have no idea what time it is in the world above; they just know that if they keep walking for any longer they’re going to pass out.

Hakuryuu fumbles with the bedrolls and does his best to lay them out straight. He points their heads in the direction they’ve been walking up till now so that they don’t accidently end up getting turned around when they wake up. When he’s finished, he and Morgiana fall into their beds gratefully. They’re both so tired that they’re not even bothered by the lumps from the chasm floor. But even so, Morgiana has a hard time finding sleep. She lies awake for several long minutes just staring up at the inky blackness. She can’t even tell if her eyes are open or closed. She feels a bit like she’s suffocating. She can’t hear Hakuryuu next her. The silence is smothering. Her heart rate is beginning to accelerate again. She’s going to panic soon. She pulls an arm free from her blanket and reaches for Hakuryuu. She has to check to make sure he hasn’t been swallowed up. She finds what feels like his shoulder and grabs at the fabric of his shirt. “Hakuryuu?” she whispers. “You’re still here, right?”

She feels Hakuryuu roll over. He finds her hand with his flesh one and grasps it. “Still here,” he assures her.

Morgiana grips his hand tightly and slowly her hear rate begins to calm. Hakuryuu lays their clasped hands on the ground between them. He doesn’t make any move to let go and Morgiana is grateful. She feels like his hand is the only thing tethering her to the world. But that’s enough. As long as he’s still with her, she knows she won’t get swept away. A few minutes later, she’s able to fall asleep. 

For the first time in nearly a week, she dreams.

Aladdin and Alibaba are concerned. They haven’t heard from Sinbad since the International Alliance’s assembly and according to Kougyoku nobody has seen him for several days. Normally, such a thing wouldn’t register as anything to worry about except that even Ja’far has no idea where he’s gone. The pale-haired young advisor even came to Aladdin to see if the fifteen-year-old magi knew anything. He looked stressed and his dark eyes were full of unease. Morgiana has never seen him look so lost.

“What could he be planning this time?” Alibaba wonders aloud, holding a hand to his chin. His eyes are narrowed and he’s frowning contemplatively. Morgiana knows what he’s thinking. Where could Sinbad have gone that he didn’t even tell Ja’far? It’s suspicious to be sure.

Still, there’s nothing that can be done until they get more information so they carry on like always. They’ve got more to do than ever now that Kougyoku has officially left the alliance. The world is about to change again; Morgiana can feel it. She only hopes that Sinbad’s disappearance doesn’t turn out to be a precursor to some new crisis.

When she wakes up, her hand is still clasped in Hakuryuu’s. She wishes she had some idea of how long it’s been. Her senses are all jumbled and she can’t tell if the tiredness she still feels is from not sleeping long enough or if she’s simply lethargic from just waking up. She can hear Hakuryuu breathing evenly beside her and judges him to still be asleep. She could wake him up so they can continue their journey but in the end she scraps the idea. She’s just too tired. She closes her eyes and goes back to sleep.

The next time she wakes, Hakuryuu is awake as well. He’s lying quietly next to her and he speaks up when he feels her squeeze his hand. “Good morning,” he greets softly. “Or, you know.”

Morgiana grunts and sits up. She feels much more refreshed now. Feeling around for their bags, she fishes out a couple of apples and a small package of dried meat. She hands Hakuryuu his share and the two enjoy a quick breakfast before packing up and continuing on their way.

For two more “nights”, they continue this pattern. They walk until they can’t anymore and then they lay out their bedrolls and collapse from exhaustion. Each night, as she’s about to fall asleep, Morgiana asks, “Still here?” and Hakuryuu grabs her hand and says, “Still here.”

By the fourth day, Morgiana begins to forget what Hakuryuu looks like. It’s been so long since she’s seen him. She knows him better by the feel of his palm now than by his face. The rift seems to go on forever. Several times she wonders if they’ve gotten turned around and are just walking in circles. Perhaps they will be stuck living down here after all. If only they had a shell phone to get in touch with Alibaba and Aladdin…

Morgiana pauses. Hakuryuu is forced to stop as well when he feels resistance from their entwined hands. “A…shell phone?” she mutters out loud. Her face screws up in confusion. What an absurd thought. And yet, for some reason, the idea hadn’t seemed strange at all just a second ago.

She feels Hakuryuu’s hand tighten on hers. “A what?” he asks.

“Nothing,” she assures him, continuing to walk again. “I just had a really bizarre thought.”

“About?” he questions.

She laughs. Really, it’s ridiculous. She doesn’t know where it came from. “For some reason I thought for a second that there were magical shells that you could talk into to communicate with people who are far away.”

Hakuryuu is silent for a long moment. Finally, he says, “Yeah, that’s pretty far out there. I mean, I guess something like that could be made, but…” He trails off. The quality of his voice is strange. He sounds…off, somehow. But she can’t tell exactly how. She desperately wishes she could see his face.

They continue to walk in silence and Morgiana feels like his grip on her hand is just slightly tighter than it was before. She wonders if something is troubling him. She wants to ask, but something, call it her instincts, is telling her not to. Morgiana listens to her instincts.

But…

Something about Hakuryuu is still bothering her. Ever since they returned from the pirates’ stronghold, she’s felt a sense of eerie uncanniness that follows her everywhere she goes. It’s a feeling she can only describe as a sense of _offness_ that prickles in her subconscious and always manifests the most strongly in matters that concern him. She wishes she could ask him about it but she doesn’t know the right question or even if he has the answer. Perhaps it is not him who is off, but her. After all, she is the only one who seems to be feeling this way. Ever since that moment on the docks in Aktia… Ever since that single moment when she had that thought…

_What am I doing here? This is wrong._

She’s going to gag. She’s choking on something. It feels like she’s swallowed too much water. She lifts her free hand to her throat but just as suddenly as it comes, the feeling passes. She’s still walking. Still blind and trekking steadily through the darkness. Everything is normal. She can feel the moment slipping from her mind. In a minute, she will forget it.

_No_. She furrows her eyebrows and steels her mind. She won’t forget this time. She’s going to hold onto what she can of this feeling. Her instincts are back and they’re telling her she’s been forgetting far too much lately.

Hakuryuu stops short and Morgiana is yanked from her thoughts. She blinks. Where before there had been nothing, a softly glowing house now stands before them. She doesn’t know where it came from or how it’s here, but it’s the first thing she’s seen in four days and the sight of it nearly brings tears to her eyes. There’s a neat pile of chopped firewood out front and a pail for carrying water. The house looks cozy and warm and it beckon to her. She starts forward and Hakuryuu follows dutifully. As they get closer, the light from the cottage illuminates Hakuryuu’s face. Morgiana takes a moment to drink in his appearance. Even though he’d been with her the whole time, only now, with the pale glow of the cabin making him visible, does he seem properly real to her.

Her musings are once again cut short when the cabin’s door opens and a person steps out carrying a bundle of firewood. It’s a man. He has golden hair woven into a long plait and he’s so beautiful that Morgiana almost mistakes him for a woman. He looks surprised to see them at first but then his gaze fixes on her and he smiles kindly. “You did well in coming here, Morgiana,” he greets and Morgiana is taken aback by his use of her name. She’s certain she’s never met this person before but he’s looking at her like she’s an old friend. He turns then to Hakuryuu and simply nods. Something passes between them in that moment but Morgiana is in the dark as to what. She gets the same feeling of incorrectness but stronger than ever.

The man opens the door wide and gestures for them to enter. “Would you both care to come in for some tea?”


	6. The Magician of the Rift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost missed getting this chapter out on time. These things are getting longer and harder to write. Urgh, that's just what I get for choosing time fudgery as a premise. 
> 
> I probably should have proof read this chapter better. I think I'm going to regret many things. But at least some of your questions may start getting answers from now on.

The cabin is every bit as cozy on the inside as it appears from the outside. The delicate-looking man directs them to a sturdy looking wooden table and as they take their seats he goes to the kitchen and begins to prepare the tea. It only a takes a moment and when he returns Morgiana asks, “Um…who are you?”

The man smiles again and seats himself across from them. “I’m Yunan,” he replies. “The guardian of this valley.”

“Guardian,” she repeats, looking at him quizzically. She can’t think of any reason why an empty canyon would need a guardian but she’s hardly an authority so she keeps the thought to herself. Instead, she asks, “How did you know my name?”

Yunan’s mouth makes a small “o” of surprise. “Ah, I apologize. I’ve done something impolite. I knew it because I heard it while you were walking through my valley with your friend here. I can hear everything in the valley, as well as what happens on both sides of the rift.” His smile falters somewhat. “That’s why…I also know that your goal is to meet the Fanalis living on the other side.”

Morgiana stands from her chair. “You mean the other side really does exist?” She feels excitement swell in her chest. “And there are Fanalis there?”

Yunan nods. “Yes. If you really want to go, I can take you there.”

Morgiana smiles broadly and turns to beam at Hakuryuu. After so long, the chance to reunite with her people is right in front of her at last. It’s all thanks to him. She pushes aside her chair and throws her arms around him. She’s so happy, the joy might actually burst out of her. Hakuryuu braces himself against the back of the chair to support her added weight. Even after so many days of walking in the dark he still smells of kind and warm plants. “We did it!” she tells his collar. “We found them.”

Yunan waits for her to release him before imparting his single caveat. “Indeed,” he says. He’s still smiling, but his eyes lack joy. “However, before I take you there, I have to warn you that it will be a one-way trip. Once you’re on the other side, you can’t come back.” He looks into her eyes as he says this and Morgiana feels her heart sink. “Or rather, I don’t think I’d want to bring you back.”

All at once, Morgiana’s excitement dies. She sinks back down into her seat. A one-way trip? She can’t ever come back? She feels a hand touch hers and she looks over at Hakuryuu. He’s looking at her with a concerned expression.

“You may have some time to decide,” Yunan tells her. “Stay the night tonight and we’ll see how you feel tomorrow.”

Morgiana nods. She feels suddenly empty. Can she really cross over to the other side if it means she can never come back? She thinks of her friends; Alibaba, Aladdin, Hakuryuu, Masrur…all the people she’s met and come to care for since she was freed. Is she really okay with never seeing them again? She thinks of the promises she’s made—to Alibaba and Aladdin to meet them again at the end of a year; to Hakuryuu to accompany him on his own mission; to herself to find her people, but also to be a pillar of support to her friends and to try every kind of food from every country and to visit the small desert town with the rain feast again someday. There are so many promises she won’t be able to keep if it turns out she really can’t ever come back.

Yunan sets her and Hakuryuu up with a room and some beds. The room is small but comfy and the beds are soft. When Morgiana questions how he was able to find all the materials to build everything he explains that the house and everything in it were actually created through the use of alchemic magic. He describes it as magic that allows him to gather particles from the air and reconfigure them into whatever he wants. This is almost cool enough to temporarily take Morgiana’s mind off her present dilemma, but the guilt she feels at the prospect of leaving everyone refuses leave her in peace.

As they prepare for bed that evening she finally decides to consult Hakuryuu. “I don’t know what to do,” she confides to him, staring hard at the floor as she speaks. She can’t bring herself to look at him when she knows she may end up going back on her promise to him after everything he’s done for her.

Hakuryuu lays a hand on her shoulder. “If you decide to go, I won’t hold it against you,” he tells her gently. She finally looks up and sees him smiling softly at her. “You’ll be safe on the other side. You can live freely without ever worrying about people coming after you.”

“But,” she protests, “if I go, I won’t be able to keep my promise to you or see Alibaba or Aladdin or Masrur ever again.”

Hakuryuu takes her hand by the fingertips the way he did a month ago when he asked her to come with him in Aktia. “No, you won’t,” he agrees. “I can’t say anything for them, but as for me…” He trails off and gives her a look that’s so full of emotion that it nearly breaks her heart. “There are things that are much more important to me than that silly promise.”

Morgiana has to look down again. She can’t handle the look he’s giving her. She doesn’t know what it means, but even so, it hurts her to see him wearing it. “You…don’t want me to come with you?”

Hakuryuu adjusts his grip to hold her hand properly. “That’s not it,” he denies quickly. “I just want you to be…” He falters. “I…I want what’s best for you.”

“And you think that going to the other side is what’s best for me?” she presses.

“You’ll be among your people,” he answers. “You’ll have what you’ve been searching for all this time. But whether that’s what’s best for you or not…I don’t know. I’ve never been an authority on what’s ‘best’ for anyone.” He coaxes her eyes back up to his and offers her a smile. She’s glad for the change of expression. “Whatever you decide, you have my full support. If you choose to cross over, I’ll find Alibaba and Aladdin and tell them what happened. And I swear that you will never, ever be forgotten.” He makes a fist with his wooden hand and holds it up to his chest. “But if you choose not to go, I hope you’ll still join me. I want to teach you Kou chess and I’ll need someone with strength like yours if I’m going to protect my country.”

Morgiana takes his hand in both of hers and nods in understanding. He’s right; this isn’t a decision anyone else can make for her. She has a lot to think about before tomorrow.

That night, she lies in her bed and thinks long and hard about what she wants to do. It’s such an amazingly difficult decision…and yet, she feels like she’s made it before. She feels like she’s been in this exact place thinking about the exact same thing sometime long ago, but that’s so impossible that it hurts her brain to even think about it. _Why?_ she demands in her own head. _Why do I always feel like I’m forgetting something really important?_

At some point she drifts off, because when she opens her eyes next Hakuryuu is no longer in his bed. Despite that, her body is telling her that not much time has passed. She can’t have been asleep for more than a few minutes. She sits up and rubs her eyes. She’s just wondering where her companion has gone when she hears muffled voices coming from the other side of the door. Curious what Hakuryuu and Yunan could be discussing at such an hour, she leaves her bed and creeps over to the door. She can hear their voices clearer now.

“Does Aladdin know what you’ve done?” she hears Yunan ask softly. She hears the clink of cutlery and judges them to be sitting at the table. Yunan must have made another pot of tea.

“No,” Hakuryuu replies. His voice is heavier than normal. He sounds older, somehow. More worn. Morgiana presses her ear against the door. Just what are they talking about? What doesn’t Aladdin know? “It’s for the best. He has enough to worry about right now as it is.”

Yunan is silent for a long time. Morgiana presses her ear harder to the door in case he’s just decided to talk very quietly but that's proven incorrect a few seconds later when he finally says, “I don’t pretend to know all the circumstances or how you’ve managed to hide it but…you’ve fallen into depravity, haven’t you?”

Morgiana’s eyes grow large. What?

It’s Hakuryuu’s turn to fall silent. A few seconds pass and then he says, “My rukh are white.”

“And yet, you’ve cursed fate and gone against the flow of destiny. Do you mean to tell me you’ve found a way to do that without borrowing the black rukh’s power?”

Morgiana holds her breath. Just what is going on here? What is this conversation they’re having? She can’t understand any of it. How could Yunan accuse Hakuryuu of falling into depravity? She’s seen no sign of her companion behaving like any of the other fallen she’s met.

When Hakuryuu answers, his voice contains a hard edge that isn’t unfamiliar coming from him but it’s been a long time since she’s heard it. “It’s true that I’ve cursed fate. But I haven’t gone against Solomon’s will.” He pauses again for a short moment and when he next speaks the quality of his voice has changed again. He sounds sad. “I would never have been able to face her again if I did.”

Yunan’s voice is as calm and measured as ever when he says, “So you have, then. I would be very interested to know how you’ve accomplished such a thing.”

Hakuryuu laughs but the sound contains no mirth. It’s a hollow and tired laugh and it pains Morgiana to hear it. “In order to fall, you need to reject fate as a concept,” he explains. “I’ve done such a thing before and it brought me nothing but self-loathing and bitterness. I learned that rejecting fate is the same as rejecting the world and everyone in it. Nobody can live like that without eventually and inevitably destroying themselves. So this time, I chose not to reject fate as a whole, but simply the parts that I don’t like. Taking destiny into your own hands and forging a fate that brings happiness to yourself and the people you love…couldn’t you argue that such a thing is the essence of Solomon’s will?”

Yunan hums. “I see. You propose that the power to change destiny is written directly into the will of the world itself.”

“It is. It’s just as a good friend once told me; nothing is ever set in stone. There are as many ways to change destiny as there are people in the world.”

_Nothing’s ever set in stone._ Morgiana takes a step back from the door. Suddenly her head is pounding. She clenches her teeth together against the pain but it quickly becomes so bad that she can’t even hear Hakuryuu and Yunan anymore. She reels. The door and then the whole bedroom fall away and in her mind she can see a shadowy figure. She knows who he is but her brain has locked that information away so she can’t summon a name. He’s walking alongside her and smiling. “ _It’s up to everyone to decide the course of this world,”_ he says, _“Nothing’s ever set in stone. If we don’t like something, we’ll just find a way to make it better. That’s what it means to be human.”_

She abruptly returns to awareness and stumbles as she makes for her bed. Her head is hurting so badly that she thinks she might pass out. The last thing she remembers is falling onto the mattress. She’s unconscious when Hakuryuu finally returns.

* * *

 

An older Aladdin is looking down at her. “Hey, are you feeling okay?” he asks, appearing somewhat concerned. “You look a little pale.”

“Huh?” she replies, blinking blearily up at him. “Ah, yes. I just have a bit of a headache.”

Aladdin laughs. “You’re probably just hungry.”

As if to prove him right, her stomach chooses that precise moment to let out a loud growl. She blushes.

“See?” he says, grinning. “Let’s go find Alibaba and get some food.” He holds out a hand to her and she takes it and lets him pull her up. She sways a bit as a wave of dizziness hits her. Ugh, she thinks, she must be getting sick. Of all the rotten times… Not that it really matters much. The Fanalis are a hardy race. Colds never last long for her. She makes a mental note to stock up on tissues and follows Aladdin back inside the palace where they’ve been staying with Empress Kougyoku. She perks up when she remembers that Hakuryuu is supposed to be coming back in a few weeks. She hasn’t seen him in such a long time…she wonders if he managed to locate Judar like he wanted to. She’ll be very interested to hear what he’s been up to and see his reaction to the changes in the Kou Empire.

Before that, though, they still have a lot of work to do. And before _that_ , food.

The next day, Morgiana awakens like normal. The pain is gone. She recalls the conversation she heard between Yunan and Hakuryuu the night before but the details are fuzzy. She remembers that they were talking about fate…and that Hakuryuu had apparently done something that Yunan thought Aladdin should know about…or wondered if Aladdin knew about? She can’t remember. Something about rukh and rejecting fate and falling. Had someone fallen? No, everything was alright. Thinking about it too much causes her head to start aching again so she casts her wonderings aside and thinks instead about what she’s going to tell Yunan today.

Will she go? Or will she stay?

She thinks back to her conversation with Hakuryuu and thinks she’s made up her mind.

When she walks into the main room, Yunan is reading a book and Hakuryuu has pulled one of the wooden chairs away from the table and is sitting in it with his halberd across his lap. He’s got a polishing cloth out and he’s dutifully tending to the blade. They both look up when she enters.

She decides not to beat around the bush. “I’m staying,” she declares simply.

Hakuryuu’s response is instantaneous. He stands from his chair and gives her a worried look. “Lady Morgiana…” he protests. “Are you sure? I mean, are you really fine with that?”

She nods. “The rift isn’t going anywhere. There are things I still have to do on this side. I can return when I have finished them.”

Yunan stands as well and steps forward. “Before you decide for sure, there is something you should know,” he warns. “Trouble is brewing on this side of the rift. A great war, one that will involve the whole world, is very close to breaking out. Consider your choice carefully.”

Hakuryuu’s expression hardens. “You’re referring to what’s about to happen in the Kou Empire.”

Yunan gives him a serious look. “That’s right. Very soon something is going to happen that will likely plunge the Kou Empire into civil war. If that should happen, some other countries may…find it _difficult_ to not become involved.”

Hakuryuu grimaces. “Yes. I’m afraid the fault for that is partly my own.”

Yunan gives him a knowing nod. “Moreover,” the hermit continues, “a conflict between Reim and Magnostadt is escalating as we speak. Reim plans to invade Magnostadt and has already planted the seed of its gambit. Kou, of course, also has its eyes on Magnostadt. The whole world teeters on the brink of a crisis that will change the lives of all who dwell on this side.”

Morgiana looks between the two men wide-eyed. She’d known already that the Kou Empire had been running many campaigns in other nations and trying to gain territory, and also that something fishy was going on within Magnostadt, but she did not know that the whole world was on the verge of being plunged into war. She thinks about Alibaba in Reim and Aladdin in Magnostadt and wonders if they have any idea that their countries are about to go to battle with each other.

“I plan to return to Kou to prevent just that,” Hakuryuu confesses, tightening his grip on his halberd. “I already know that my mother plans to kill my uncle and take the Kou throne for herself. In order to do that, she will need the conflict in Magnostadt to keep my eldest cousin Kouen occupied. However, if I can convince Kouen to suspend his campaign in Magnostadt, my mother will have no excuse to deny him the throne. As long as my mother is barred from any position of real power, we can keep the situation in Kou from getting out of hand. I know my people and a civil war is the last thing they want.”

Morgiana’s face lights up and she turns to Hakuryuu. She doesn’t know anything about the politics of the Kou Empire, but she does understand strategy and an idea about how to handle the situation between Reim and Magnostadt is beginning to take form in her head. “In that case, what if instead of conquering Magnostadt with violence, Kou offers to ally with them against Reim,” she suggests. “Reim is powerful, but when faced with the combined forces of Magnostadt and Kou, they will know they cannot win and will be forced to rethink their plan. This stops war from breaking out between Reim and Magnostadt. Then, because Kou came to their aid, they will gain a political advantage in Magnostadt. It’s not a full-on takeover, but it still furthers the Kou Empire’s agenda.”

Hakuryuu blinks at her in surprise and seems to consider this. “Kouen doesn’t yet know of Reim’s intentions. He might be willing to listen if we explain things clearly to him,” he agrees. “In any case, of top priority is keeping my mother off the throne. I’m afraid it’s likely already too late for my uncle, so it’s imperative that I talk to Kouen immediately. I must warn him that it is crucial that war not break out in Magnostadt.”

Morgiana nods in understanding. She then turns to Yunan. “Thank you for the information, but this just means I have even more reason to stay on this side. I must protect the people I care about. I cannot cross over while I know they are in danger.”

Yunan graces her with the ghost of a smile and nods. “I admire your determination and loyalty,” he tells her. “In that case, allow me at least to teach you how to properly use that household vessel of yours before you go.”

Morgiana starts slightly at the unexpected offer but quickly regains her composure and bows low to him. She’s surprised that Yunan of all people possesses knowledge on how to control a household vessel, but she’s happy to accept any help she can get. “Thank you.”


	7. Ren Kouen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. This chapter is the longest yet, though I'm afraid the quality is probably the weakest. There are a whole bunch of things that I wanted to change but I just didn't have the energy.
> 
> Fortunately, this chapter is packed with fluff. Go on, get your cavities. You've waited long enough.

They end up staying with Yunan for an entire week. It takes roughly that long for Morgiana to master the use of her vessel. Yunan teachers her to manipulate her chains to their full extent and even to use them to propel her through the air like a bird. Now she really can fly. She can’t wait to show Aladdin and Alibaba.

On the final day before she and Hakuryuu set out again, she’s finally able to reach the top of the rift. She soars upward like an eagle and sunlight showers her in its radiance as she crests the top. It’s the first time in nearly two weeks that she’s seen the sun and a giggle explodes giddily out of her as she gives a twirl.

Behind her, a fully djinn equipped Hakuryuu shoots out of the chasm and comes up to soar around her, looping her playfully. “You did it, Lady Morgiana!” he exclaims. He takes her hand and beams at her proudly. “Look at you! You’re like a white rukh.”

Morgiana smiles widely back at him and her cheeks pinken prettily at the compliment. She slips from his grasp and propels herself even higher, testing her limits. If she strains her eyes she can just see the edge of the canyon far off in the distance. The rift itself is like a giant gaping maw below her ready to swallow up anything that dares come too near. She revels in the warmth of the sun on her skin as she continues to fly up and up until finally she reaches her arms out to the burning orb and releases her control on her household vessel. She hovers for a short moment, eyes closed in ecstasy before gravity takes her and she begins to fall back down toward the chasm.

Morgiana laughs out loud as wind rushes past her ears and she flips around to see Hakuryuu hovering about thirty meters below her. She gives him a wave and he grins back and shoots up to meet her. Halfway up, he catches her and performs a twirl to absorb the impact. They both laugh as they come to a stop, still high above the rift. Hakuryuu holds her tightly against him and Morgiana can feel his heart racing just as fast as hers is. She grabs his face and presses her nose against his briefly in a show of jubilation. Pulling back, she says, “Now I can fight in the sky as well! I can be even more useful to everyone!”

Hakuryuu beams at her and nods. “You are a force to be reckoned with, Lady Morgiana,” he praises. His red eyes are filled with warmth and his pleased expression is so beautiful that Morgiana feels a tug in her chest. She somehow wants to be even closer to him, but she’s already pressed flush against him so she doesn’t know how to satisfy the feeling. She settles instead for wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly as they begin to drift back down into the chasm. Her heart is brimming with so much emotion that she fears it might burst, but as they descend, the feeling fades until it’s more of a pleasant fullness.

Finally, they touch down outside Yunan’s cabin and break apart. Hakuryuu releases his djinn equip and his hair and eyes return to normal. Morgiana takes his hand and pulls him toward the door. It’s time to tell Yunan that they’ll be leaving.

The next morning, Yunan stands with them outside his cabin. All of their things are packed up and strapped to their backs and their clothes have been cleaned and mended. Yunan brandishes his staff, pointing its tip at their feet. “I can take you as far as the port in Heliohapt. From there it will be up to you to catch a ship to Balbadd where Kouen resides,” he tells them.

Morgiana and Hakuryuu nod their understanding and Morgiana thanks him for helping them get even that far. “You’ll be shaving nearly two weeks off our trip. We’re grateful enough for that.”

Yunan awards her with a smile. “You’ve done very well since coming here, Morgiana. I truly hope that you are able to protect what’s important to you.” He then turns to Hakuryuu. “I am no longer a magi who supports king vessels,” he says, “but if you had been around back when I was…” His smile takes on an air of melancholy. “Well, it doesn’t much matter now, but know that I sense true greatness in you. I pray that you don’t lose your way.”

Hakuryuu puts his hands together and bows deeply. “I swear to do everything in my power to forge a happy future for the people of this world,” he responds.

Yunan’s smile becomes genuine. He tightens his grip on his staff and says, “Then it’s time for good little children to be on their way.” A circle of light appears around Hakuryuu and Morgiana. “Until our paths next cross,” he bids. “Oh,” he adds as his image begins to flicker, “I took care of that favor you wanted, Hakuryuu. Be sure you don’t dally.” His face vanishes and suddenly they are surrounded instead by sunlight and sand. The smell of seawater fills their nostrils.

Just as Yunan promised, they are back at the port where they had disembarked three weeks ago after sailing from Aktia Kingdom. Luckily, they are in an empty alleyway and nobody has witnessed their unconventional arrival.

They head immediately for the pier and a dockhand informs them that the next ship for Balbadd will be departing in just over an hour. They purchase their tickets and grab a quick snack from a falafel stand before boarding the boat that will take them to Kouen.

The trip to Balbadd is not as long as the one from Aktia and takes only two weeks. They spend it mostly the same way as their last sea voyage, though Morgiana feels distinctly more comfortable around Hakuryuu now than she did back then. It occurs to her that they’ve actually become very close. Now, when they play chess, Morgiana doesn’t feel awkward about talking about her time as a slave. She tells Hakuryuu all about Jamil and the awful things he did to her and his other slaves. Hakuryuu is horrified and he tells her that if Jamil hadn’t already died he would have hunted him down himself. The look in his eye as he says this assures Morgiana that he means it completely.

Hakuryuu, too, is more detailed now when he talks about his life. He tells her about how hard it was to live for so many years so filled with loathing for the woman who birthed him. He admits that his sister was the only thing keeping him sane back then. His need to protect her just barely outweighed his need for vengeance. “I know now that Gyokuen is not an enemy I can defeat by myself,” he tells her as he moves his bishop to take her knight. “And I’ve made peace with the fact that she never loved either Hakuei or myself. It’s okay, because as long as we can surround ourselves with other people who we love and who love us, the love of a mother isn’t all that important, really.”

Morgiana reaches over the chessboard and pulls him into an embrace. Some pieces get knocked over, but that’s okay. She feels like he needs the comfort more than he needs the game.

Now, when they’re not playing chess, instead of sitting across from each other, they often sit side by side, their bodies pressed up together and her head tucked into the space between his chin and shoulder. She watches his hands, one wooden and one flesh, gesticulate as he tells her stories and talks about his family. She learns that Kouen is severe and aloof but he cares deeply for justice and his siblings. He explains how Koumei is a master strategist and admits that he’s never won a game of xiangqi against him. He also tells her about Kouha and Kougyoku and how they both had a rougher time growing up because of being only half-siblings but that both of them are strong and proud and worked hard to make names for themselves and become dungeon capturers. Of course, the person he talks most about is his sister Hakuei. He tells Morgiana all about how kind and lovely and good-hearted she is and regales her with many memories from when they were growing up. Morgiana listens to all of this in fascination and wonders what it would be like to have siblings and cousins of her own. Someday, she wants to have a family too. She’s set it as a goal for later, when she’s older and the world is at peace.

Morgiana has come to love listening to Hakuryuu talk. She likes the way his face lights up when tells her about Kou and all the things he thinks she’ll like there and she enjoys how expressive he becomes when he talks about his cousins and their antics growing up. She also just likes his voice. It’s gentle and pleasant and overflowing with sincerity. She occasionally wonders how such an overwhelmingly sweet and well-bred person as him ever came to want to spend time with someone as rough and uncultured as her. But Hakuryuu never grows tired of being around her, and somehow she never grows tired of being around him either.

No, she’s used to having him around now and she finds she doesn’t want that to change. And so, each night, as they curl up in their beds, Morgiana reaches out a hand in the dark and asks, “Still here?”

And Hakuryuu’s fingers brush hers and he answers, “Still here.”

Only then does Morgiana sleep. 

* * *

The day they reach Balbadd, Morgiana is somewhat nervous. She hasn’t been to Balbadd since the black djinn incident with Alibaba’s friend and now she’s coming back to the place of Alibaba’s birth but Alibaba himself is not with her. It feels almost wrong to come here without him. More than that, though, she’ll soon be meeting Hakuryuu’s eldest cousin—or rather, his brother, she reminds herself—the first prince of the Kou Empire and the man who Hakuryuu himself described as severe and aloof. Why he’s in Balbadd, she doesn’t know, but she does know that if Hakuryuu can’t convince him to temporarily suspend his plans to invade Magnostadt they are going to be in a lot of trouble.

The moment they step off the boat, Morgiana’s jaw drops. This…is Balbadd, right? Surely it must be because she knows she and Hakuryuu didn’t make a mistake when boarding their ship, but the town that greets her looks nothing like the Balbadd she remembers. The place has clearly been completely rebuilt from the ground up. Instead of crumbling stone structures, neat wooden houses with iron shingled roofs now line the streets. But what makes the image even weirder are the people milling about, all dressed in odd robes of solid colors.

Beside her, Hakuryuu frowns. “They've been completely absorbed into the Kou Empire,” he explains. The look on his face is disapproving. “This is what the Kou Empire does when it takes territories. It strips the people of all their wealth and redistributes it equally. Then they set up a class system based on hard work. It keeps the people fed and off the streets but it stifles any kind of personal expression. To be honest, I hate it.”

“But,” she protests, swiveling around to face him, “Balbadd was made into a republic. Why is the Kou Empire running everything?”

Hakuryuu looks at the ground. “A republic in name only,” he explains darkly.

Morgiana looks around at the perfectly uniform buildings and people and feels a powerful pang of frustration. How can this be? What would Alibaba think if he saw this?

“Don’t worry,” Hakuryuu tells her, laying a hand on her shoulder. “This is only temporary. One day, Balbadd will have its independence again. I swear it.”

Morgiana doesn’t know how Hakuryuu can possibly know this, but she sees the conviction in his eyes and believes him regardless. Hakuryuu doesn’t say things he doesn’t mean.

They walk through the center of the city toward the palace and people give them odd looks all the while. A few people seem to recognize her because they point and whisper to each other as she passes and Morgiana catches the words ‘fanalis’ and ‘companion’ and ‘Prince Alibaba’. Their odd dress and general meekness disturbs her and she does her best to ignore them and focus on the grand palace looming ahead. Even it has been remodeled to match the rest of the city.

They walk up the great steps and palace guards eye them warily as they advance but say nothing. When they reach the top, a messenger comes out to greet them. “Prince Hakuryuu!” the man says nervously, clearly not expecting their visit. “This is quite a surprise. Have you come to speak with the general?”

Hakuryuu answers the man with a stern look. His whole demeanor has changed and now his stance is tall and proud. “I have. Is he busy?”

The man sweats and gestures for them to follow. “Please, come with me. I shall announce your arrival immediately.”

They follow the man as instructed and he brings them to a room where they are able to drop off their things. Hakuryuu unloads his pack but keeps his halberd. The messenger leaves to tell Kouen of their arrival. It’s only a few minutes before he reappears and bows. “The general will see you now.”

Morgiana’s nervousness increases as they approach two enormous and ornate double doors, behind which she infers must lie the new throne room. Right before they enter, Hakuryuu takes her hand. “Don’t worry. Just let me handle it,” he tells her softly and gives her hand a squeeze before letting go. Morgiana nods and steels herself as the doors are pulled open.

A great hall greets them. It is at once both similar to and yet entirely different from the throne room of the previous palace. The throne itself is the same as she remembers, but nobody sits on it. Instead, there is another seat situated in front of it on a raised dais where a handsome, muscular man with fiery red hair sits and watches them approach with a mildly interested expression. Hakuryuu stops before him and kneels respectfully. Morgiana follows suit. All around them, richly dressed people watch them curiously.

“Hakuryuu,” the man greets, and his voice is deep and regal. “This is a surprise. I was not informed that you would be coming to Balbadd.”

Hakuryuu takes his cousin’s greeting as an invitation to stand and Morgiana does as well. It’s certainly not the first time she’s been in the presence of royalty—she travels with a couple of princes, after all—but Kouen has an aura of power and authority about him that sends a shiver up her spine. Her instincts tell her this is a man she doesn't want to cross. “I’ve come because I have a matter of urgency to discuss with you, lord brother,” he says evenly. It is clear that Hakuryuu is not intimidated by Kouen. He glances around the room purposefully and adds, “Privately.”

Kouen is silent for a long moment as he looks down at Hakuryuu with an impassive expression. Finally, he stands and says, “Very well.”

They relocate to a small audience chamber behind the throne room. Kouen settles into his new seat and his bearing changes somewhat. He seems to relax just slightly and he rests his jaw on his fist as Morgiana and Hakuryuu take their seats as well. His eyes flicker briefly to her before resting on the halberd in Hakuryuu’s hand. “I heard that you captured a dungeon.” He looks back at Hakuryuu. “Well done.”

Hakuryuu’s serious expression doesn’t change. “Thank you.”

Kouen doesn’t seem surprised by Hakuryuu’s stolidness. “Now then. What is this matter of urgency you've come all the way to Balbadd to discuss with me?”

Here it comes. Morgiana swallows and hopes fervently that Hakuryuu will be able to convince Kouen to go along with their idea.

Hakuryuu doesn’t mince words. “I’ve come to ask that you suspend your plan to invade Magnostadt.”

If Morgiana expected Kouen to be surprised by this, she’s disappointed. He doesn’t bat an eyelash. “Explain.”

Hakuryuu looks his cousin directly in the eye. “It’s for the sake of the Kou Empire,” he states. “I’ve received word that the emperor’s health has been declining.” His eyes narrow. “You ought to know better than anyone what that likely means. Or, more accurately, who may be responsible.”

Kouen’s eyes narrow as well but he says nothing, instead waiting for Hakuryuu to get to his point.

“Should our lord emperor prove unable to beat this untimely _illness_ , it is imperative that you be free to inherit the throne.”

Kouen lifts his head from his fist and threads his fingers together in his lap. Morgiana can tell he is genuinely interested now. “That is quite an accusation,” he warns. “But I admit I am surprised to hear you calling for me to take the throne.” He quirks a brow. “I was under the impression that you would rather eat your own teeth.”

Morgiana looks at Hakuryuu in surprise and Hakuryuu finally cracks a ghost of a smile. “At one time, yes,” he admits. “But I suppose it’s possible that I misjudged you.”

Kouen is smiling as well now. It’s an odd expression coming from him and still manages to seem slightly sinister. “You’ve changed,” he says, sounding more intrigued by this observation than by the news Hakuryuu has brought him. “You seem to understand now.” He throws his head back and barks out a short laugh. “That said, I wonder if you can tell me what my answer will be to whether or not I intend to inherit the Kou throne.”

Morgiana looks back and forth between them and her eyebrows furrow in confusion. They’re having another conversation underneath the obvious one and she can’t follow it at all.

Hakuryuu closes his eyes and shakes his head, still smiling. “I know already. You don’t want to become emperor.” He reopens his eyes and gives Kouen a long look. “But the Kou empire needs you to be. Just for a little while; so that my mother can’t take the throne for herself. After she is dealt with, you can hand it over to Koumei or whoever you want.”

Kouen cocks his eyebrow again. He is amused. “Very well,” he concedes, surprising Morgiana. _Isn’t this too easy?_ She thinks. However, it soon becomes apparent that Kouen isn’t finished. “But in return…” his eyes narrow dangerously and to Morgiana he looks predatory—like a wolf who has scented a wounded rabbit. “I expect you to tell me exactly how you came to know all this. Of course, I’ll be wanting the full truth.”

Hakuryuu grimaces just slightly but he nods. “I will tell you,” he agrees. “But only after Gyokuen is dealt with.”

“Fine,” Kouen allows, returning his chin to his hand. “Was there anything else?” His gaze flicks back to her. “You haven’t introduced your Fanalis friend yet. I assume she came with you today as more than just arm candy.”

Morgiana flushes but retains her composure. Luckily, she is saved from having to speak by Hakuryuu. “This is Lady Morgiana. She and I have been traveling together since I acquired my djinn. She is a friend of the former prince of this country, Alibaba Saluja, and the magi Aladdin.”

Morgiana stands and bows to the Kou general. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, lord general,” she says steadily before taking her seat again.

“In fact, there is one more thing we must discuss with you,” Hakuryuu continues. “Alibaba Saluja has sent word from the Reim Empire that they intend to invade Magnostadt as well. War between Reim and Magnostadt is something that we absolutely cannot allow, no matter what. This is another thing that I can’t explain right now, but trust me when I say it will be very bad for everyone if Magnostadt gets caught up in war right now. Luckily, we still have roughly ten and a half months until they plan to strike. When that time comes, I want you, as emperor, to give Magnostadt your support.”

Kouen sits back in his seat. “You’ve been very busy making plans, I see,” he says wryly.

Hakuryuu’s smile returns. “This one is actually hers,” he reveals gesturing to Morgiana. “We both believed you wouldn’t have any complaints as long as you can get a foothold in Magnostadt.”

Kouen smirks. “Truly, you have impressed me today, little brother,” he says, sounding almost pleased. “For that, I will consider your proposal.” He looks back at Morgiana. “Morgiana, was it?”

She nods and puts her hands together like she’s seen Hakuryuu do so many times.

“I wonder if you plan to make a habit of involving yourself in Kou politics.”

Morgiana regards him oddly. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

Hakuryuu clears his throat and when Morgiana looks at him his face is pink. “In any case, that concludes everything we came to talk to you about today. Thank you for hearing us.” He stands and turns to go, but then he pauses. He seems to deliberate for a short moment and then he turns back around and gives Kouen a sober look. “Also…I’m sorry, Kouen. About your father. I really am. Perhaps if you hurry back now, you can still make it.”

Kouen closes his eyes and shakes his head. “No. I’d known this day was coming. I’ve prepared myself.”

Hakuryuu nods. “Then I’ll see you in Kou.” He turns to go again and Morgiana moves to follow him but Kouen stops him again.

“Hakuryuu,” he starts, “where do you intend to go now?”

Hakuryuu looks back at his cousin over his shoulder. “I have preparations to make in order to take out Gyokuen.” He gives Kouen a smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll let you in on it when I finally go after her.”

Kouen chuckles darkly. “I’d like that very much.”

Morgiana is keenly aware of the bitterness in Kouen’s voice as they leave the chamber. She wonders if there’s a single person in Hakuryuu’s family who hasn’t experienced tragedy.

They pick up their things and head out of the palace and back into the dry heat of Balbadd. The moment they’ve cleared the palace steps Hakuryuu surprises her by catching her under the arms and lifting her into the air. He twirls her around, smiling from ear to ear like an absolute fool. “He agreed!” he exclaims, setting her down and beaming at her. “We’ll have to make sure Gyokuen doesn’t pull anything at the funeral, of course, but now all her plans will be messed up!” He leans down and hugs her tightly. “We’re doing it, Morgiana! We’re changing fate!”

Morgiana doesn’t know what he means by changing fate, but she does notice that this is the first time he’s ever called her by her name without the addition of an honorific. It sends a pleasant tingle through her. Hakuryuu releases her and pulls her along down the street by her hand. “Come on! We have to go to the next place right away!”

Morgiana is still completely in the dark, but she’s never seen Hakuryuu look this excited before and she can’t help but catch some of his enthusiasm. She casts one last glance back at the palace before smiling as well and letting herself be dragged off to their next adventure.


	8. The Djinn of Truth and Conviction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is now officially an AU! Thanks, chapter 325. 
> 
> You know what? I take back what I said about the last chapter being crap. This one wins. I apologize in advance. Just know that it was so much worse before I edited it. Why do the important chapters always come out the worst? 
> 
> That said, prepare to have all your suspicions confirmed.

Their next destination lies within the vast expanse of the Tenzan Plateau near to the Kou border. The distance is enormous—nearly five hundred leagues—but they are able to make the trip which would normally take months on foot in just over three weeks by flying in short bursts. They are forced to rest often to replenish their magoi, but the journey strengthens them enormously and both are pleased with their progress by the time they finally arrive.

Their goal is in a shallow canyon. At first Morgiana doesn’t think anything will be there, but then she sees the enormous spires of what appears at first to be some kind of palace or temple. It doesn’t take long for her to figure out what it is.

“A dungeon?” she questions as Hakuryuu lands beside her and releases his transformation.

“Yes,” he confirms, looking up at the colossal lion statues guarding the entrance. His expression is far away as he takes a few steps toward the entrance. “The 68th dungeon, Belial. I’ll need the power of the djinn sleeping here if I’m going to stand a chance against my mother.”

Morgiana narrows her eyes at the dungeon suspiciously. The place has an ominous air about it that sends a chill up her spine. Why does she feel like she’s heard the name Belial before? “Is this the favor Yunan mentioned?” she asks, readjusting her pack on her shoulders.

Hakuryuu nods and turns around to hold his hand out to her. She takes it and they start toward the dungeon. “I asked him to raise it for me. The djinn here is special. It can’t be used to attack conventionally but it will work as a deadly tool against Al-Thamen.”

When they reach the entrance, Hakuryuu squeezes her hand. “You may want to wait outside,” he suggests. “This dungeon can be very punishing and we won’t be able to help each other once we’re inside.”

She nods. “In that case, I will wait,” she agrees, releasing his hand. “But are you certain you’ll be okay on your own?”

Hakuryuu smiles and gives her a little wave as he steps into the portal. “I think so. I have a good feeling this time.”

Morgiana frowns. “This time?” she questions, but Hakuryuu has already passed through the gate and can’t hear her anymore. She blinks after him. A gust of wind lifts her hair and even though it’s warm, she feels a sudden chill. “What did he mean by ‘this time’?” she asks herself.

The distinct rustling sound of fabric reaches her ears and causes her to become alert. “Mmm…gosh, that’s a good question,” a voice comes from behind her. “Maybe he means that he’s done this before?”

Morgiana whirls around her heart skips a beat when her gaze falls on the owner of the voice. Her eyes widen as they take in the person’s long black braid and cold red eyes.

“You’re…Judar?” she questions, taking an involuntary step back.

The tall, dark magi grins and rewards her with a wave. He is floating in the air just a few feet away but he touches down on the stone pathway and walks leisurely up to her. Morgiana hasn’t seen him in a very long time but she knows wherever he goes, trouble follows. His eyes are alight with mischief as he approaches. “Long time no see, little fire bird.”

Morgiana is immediately on the defensive. “Why are you here?” she demands, adjusting her stance to attack if the need should arise.

Judar waves a hand dismissively. “Relax. I didn’t come here for you,” he states, closing his eyes as if even looking at her bores him. “And anyway, Hakuryuu would skin me if I did anything to you.” He looks contemplative for a second then he shrugs. “Well, he’d try, anyway.”

Morgiana furrows her eyebrows at the dark magi. She’s thrown off guard by Judar’s flippant referral to her friend as if Hakuryuu is somehow someone who he knows well. She doesn’t think that can be right though because Hakuryuu told her back in Sindria that he refused to ally with Judar or anyone connected to Al-Thamen.

“I sensed that this dungeon had been raised and had to come see for myself how little Hakuryuu was getting along,” he continues, looking up at the stone lions almost wistfully. He’s wearing the same far away expression Hakuryuu had just minutes ago. His gaze travels back down to her and he smirks. “So it was nice chatting with you, but I’ve got a prince to check on.” He steps past her and disappears through the entrance with a parting, “Ciao.”

Morgiana watches him go full of confusion. Just what was that? It was certainly not the kind of encounter she would ever have expected to have with a person like Judar. All at once, she gets a bad feeling. What if he has come to attack Hakuryuu? Judar is a member of Al-Thamen and therefore a servant of Hakuryuu’s mother. He could only have come to stop Hakuryuu from gaining the power to oppose her. She looks at the dungeon entrance and worries her lower lip. Hakuryuu said that once they were inside they would be unable to help each other, but can she really just stand by when she knows Judar is after him?

In the end, it’s not even a decision. She scowls at the dungeon and steps boldly through the gate.

* * *

 

For a moment, all she sees are rings of light surrounding her, but then she blinks and suddenly she’s in another place altogether. Her mouth falls open as she takes in her surroundings. This…is a dungeon, right?

It’s unlike any she’s ever seen. She’s in a place that is clearly outdoors, but the land is whimsical and bizarre. The trees and plants are oddly colored and fantastical and the land itself is warped in places; swirling upward into spires and breaking off into sporadic chasms. Even more strange, though, are the creatures milling about. She’s sure she’s never seen anything like them. And yet…everything looks so familiar to her. She’s been here—sometime she can’t properly remember—and the overwhelming feeling of nostalgia that encompasses this new land causes a lump to rise in her throat.

There is no sign of either Judar or Hakuryuu. She wonders if the dungeon intentionally separates those who enter. It would explain why Hakuryuu said they would be unable to help each other. Still, she won’t become discouraged over something like that. Judar seemed to think he’d be able to find Hakuryuu and he also seemed familiar with this dungeon. If it’s possible for Judar to find him, then it’s possible for her, too.

There is no clear way to go so she just picks a direction and starts walking. Here and there she passes a plant or creature and reaches out to brush her hand along it. The longer she walks, the less strange everything begins to feel to her. Somehow, she remembers these creatures. That large, dragonfly-like insect with six wings circling a giant mushroom thirty paces away is a jolpin. She knows that they eat fungi and like to travel in threes. And that pig-like beast with a long trunk is a buldo. She recalls that Hakuryuu knows how to make an excellent stew from its cheek meat. She sometimes hunted here while Aladdin was busy with Mother Dragon.

Morgiana stops short. These creatures… Of course she knows them. _Of course she knows them._ They’re all remnants from Alma Torran, just like her and her brethren. This is her home.

_This is her home_.

All at once, her eyes are opened and she’s seeing her surroundings in a new light. No longer is it a strange and foreign land. Over there is the tree she and Aladdin and Hakuryuu used to sit under when the heat of the day became too intense. She can faintly see the marks etched into the trunk from when she and Hakuryuu competed to see how many consecutive battles they could win in their individual training. And just beyond that hill to her left is where Nanaumi once buried a voodoo doll of Nashime. As she looks around, more and more memories begin to come back to her. How could she ever have forgotten this place?

What has she been doing up until now? Why does she feel like her soul is being split between two places?

“Mor.”

Morgiana freezes. That voice. It’s so familiar, it burns her ears.

She turns around and there is Aladdin. He’s standing before her and smiling like he hasn’t a care in the world. But he’s not the Aladdin she parted with in Aktia. He is fifteen and nearly grown and she stares at him wide-eyed. His face; his eyes; the curve of his jaw…everything about him is familiar and _right_ and suddenly the scattered and disjointed shards of her memory are clicking back into place. Completely out of her control, tears well up in Morgiana’s eyes and cause her vision to blur. Aladdin smiles and holds out his arms to her. His eyes are so blue and his smile is so welcoming and she can’t even think of stopping herself as she runs to him and sweeps him into an embrace. “Aladdin…” she cries, holding him close. She’s getting his shirt wet but he doesn’t seem to mind. He wraps his arms around her and hugs her back.

“Mor…I’m so happy to see you again.”

“Aladdin,” she says his name again. “It’s you.” The fog that’s been stealing her memories is finally lifting and she knows without a doubt that this is how Aladdin is supposed to look—tall and handsome, not the young boy she watched fly off to Magnostadt. “I was so confused…but I remember now—this is the correct you.” She’s filled with relief. At last, the uncanny feeling she’s had all this time is beginning to make sense.

She feels him shift and then he pulls out of her embrace to look at her. “Yes and no,” he replies, giving her a gentle look. “I’m just a memory, Mor. I’m no more real than the Aladdin you parted with two months ago.”

Morgiana frowns and shakes her head. What is he saying? Of course he’s the real thing. She looks up into his eyes and searches them for any trace of his meaning. “I-I don't understand.”  

His smile becomes melancholic and he lays his hands on her shoulders. “A part of you has already realized what’s happened,” he tells her softly. “Time has been reset. The future you and I come from no longer exists. All that exists now is the present that you’ve been living in.”

Morgiana tears away from him and takes a step back. “What…?” She shakes her head. There’s no way she can believe such a thing. This is just the dungeon messing with her. That’s right, she’s in a dungeon right now. None of this is real.

_“Oh, I assure you it’s real enough,”_ a disembodied voice echoes around them. _“Welcome to my palace. I am Belial, the djinn of this dungeon and guardian of truth. Everything you see here comes from inside of you.”_

Morgiana takes another step back and whips her head up to the sky. She sees nothing, but then, after her experience in Zagan’s dungeon she hadn’t really expected to see anything.

“He’s right,” a new voice speaks up and Morgiana whirls around to see Alibaba walking toward her. He is older too and smiling beautifully. She instinctively grabs the golden necklace resting across her collarbones. “Yo, Morgiana.”

“A-Alibaba,” she whispers. Her eyes rake over him. He is dressed in white and gold and black and he carries himself with a confidence that the Alibaba she knows now doesn’t yet possess. She feels fresh wetness on her cheeks and knows that she’s crying again. She takes a few steps toward him and reaches out her hand as if to touch him but she hesitates. She feels unsure suddenly. She wants to embrace him terribly but something inside her isn’t sure if she still has that right.

Alibaba isn’t troubled in the slightest by her hesitance. He grins and opens his arms wide in invitation. Morgiana needs no further prompting. She lets loose a sob and runs to him. He sweeps her up in his arms and embraces her tightly. “I told you, didn’t I? That we’d see each other again,” he murmurs into her hair.

Morgiana isn’t sure what he’s referring to because her memories are still patchy, but it doesn’t matter. This is her Alibaba. The one she was to marry. He still shines so brightly, just like she remembers. He’s the sun and she loves him so, so much. She tightens her grip on him.

Suddenly, a feeling like a rope of fire lashes down her back. She cries out as the back of her dress is burned away.

_“I won’t allow you to lie here,”_ the djinn’s voice comes again. _“Every lie will become a punishment on your body until you are destroyed.”_

Morgiana stumbles backward and reaches behind her to feel the damage. It doesn’t seem too bad but the pain is searing. She bites her lip. She doesn’t think that she’s lied at all, but the djinn apparently disagrees.

_“You are in my realm now,”_ the djinn continues. _“You must rid yourself of your inconsistencies and become a pure king vessel candidate or you will be terminated.”_

“Morgiana,” Alibaba says, stepping toward her again. “This is a test. You need to overcome the conflict inside of yourself and cast away the lies that trouble your mind.”

Morgiana shakes her head. “The lies that trouble my mind?” she repeats, not comprehending at all. “I don’t understand.”

Alibaba chuckles. “You’re confused, right?” he tells her smiling warmly “You’ve been feeling unsettled all this time but you’ve been subconsciously rejecting the thing that’s causing those feelings. You keep telling yourself that what you’re feeling is impossible but you already know the truth.”

Morgiana raises her hand to her necklace again. “You’re referring to what Aladdin told me?” she asks, flicking her gaze back to the magi in question. He’s watching her conversation with Alibaba with a patient expression. “About time being reset.”

Alibaba nods. “That’s right,” he confirms. “But not just that. There’s another thing that’s been troubling you, isn’t there?” he prompts. “Something you won’t even let yourself think about.”

Morgiana stares at him in confusion.

“About me,” he continues, reaching out to take her hand. “Or, more accurately, about us.”

Morgiana looks down at their clasped hands unsurely. Alibaba’s palm is warm and solid against hers but it causes a strange feeling to bloom in her gut. Compared to the natural comfort that holding Hakuryuu’s hand brings her, it feels like the palm of a stranger. Did holding his hand always feel like this?

“Morgiana…” he says her name softly. “Are you certain you still love me?”

She looks back up at him, full of confusion. “Of course I do,” she answers honestly. How can she not? Alibaba could never stop being special to her.

He smiles. “But are you still _in_ love with me?”

Morgiana frowns. “Of course I—” She stops as she really considers his question. She is…right? There’s no reason for her feelings to have changed.

She feels something hard rise in her throat. But then, why did she hesitate when Alibaba first appeared. Her hand tightens around his. Why does touching him like this cause her stomach to seize up uncomfortably?

Why does holding his hand feel like lying?

“It’s okay, you know,” he tells her, holding up their clasped hands as though he can tell what’s going through her mind. “I had my chance with you but I lost it. This time around is different. You’re allowed to be different too.” He pats her head with his free hand. “I just want you to be happy. That’s the most important thing to me.”

Morgiana raises her other hand to her chest right over her heart and looks down at it uncertainly. “I don’t understand. Why would my feelings have changed?”

Alibaba laughs. His eyes are kind. “Well, why did you fall for me in the first place? Can you tell me that?”

She looks back up at him with conviction. That, she can answer easily. “Yes. It’s because you’re kind and you help everyone you meet and…and you saved me. You set me free.”

Alibaba smiles widely. “You flatter me, Morgiana, really,” he tells her. “But you know, I’m not the only kind person in the world. And I’m also not the only one who loves you.” He laughs again and turns his head to look up at the sky. The cloudless expanse stretches above them like a promise and the sunlight illuminates Alibaba’s golden eyes. He looks so handsome that Morgiana’s heart hurts. “This djinn wants me to spell it out for you, but you know what? I’m just not that kind of guy.” He looks back down at her. “Gotta act in line with the real thing.”

Morgiana blinks and her vision clouds again. She doesn’t understand at all, and yet…she thinks he’s right. He’s been right about everything. She wipes her eyes with the back of her free hand and looks into his eyes. She squeezes his hand once and then lets go. “I do still love you,” she tells him sincerely.

Alibaba looks back at her and cups her cheek with his right hand. “I know you do,” he says. “And I love you, too. And so does Aladdin, and everyone else.” He pulls her to him and embraces her again. “We’re all so, so sorry for how things turned out. We all wished there was more we could have done.”

“You did the best you could,” she assures him, even though she still doesn’t know what he’s talking about. It just seems like the right thing to say. She pulls back and takes a few steps back to address both him and Aladdin. “If you say that time has been reset…then that can only mean that something bad happened, right?”

Aladdin and Alibaba’s expressions sober. It’s confirmation enough for her.

“Then from here on out, it’s my duty to make sure we create a future that doesn’t have to be reset, right?”

Again, they say nothing, but their frowns turn back into smiles.

Morgiana returns their smiles and nods. “I understand. Then I’ll do my best for everyone’s sakes.”

Aladdin steps forward. “Just so you know,” he says, “just because our future has been erased, it doesn’t mean we’re gone. We’re still alive inside the Aladdin and Alibaba of the past.” He holds his hand up to his chest. “I believe that everyone carries around a little piece of the them that was lost; a little shard of the will to change destiny.”

“That’s right,” Alibaba agrees. “And we’ll be doing our best to support you.” He grins. “So do us a favor and live in a way that makes you happy, okay?”

The lump is back in Morgiana’s throat. She understands that the time has come to say goodbye. She nods. “Yes. Thank you…both of you.”

They both smile widely and nod. Then they are gone. Morgiana is alone once again. All at once her strength leaves her and she falls to her knees. The earth beneath her is soft and she sits back on her bottom and drags her knees to her chest. Her back still hurts but she barely feels it over the burning in her eyes.

_“Do you seek power?”_ the djinn’s voice echoes around her again. He sounds gentler now. 

Morgiana looks up at the sky and wipes her eyes. “Yes,” she answers honestly. She clenches her fists at her sides. “I must continue to gain strength if I’m to keep the promise I made to my friends.”

The air around her flickers and suddenly she’s standing in an enormous, lavishly decorated room. She knows at once that she’s reached the chamber where the djinn waits.


	9. The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, folks! The chapter that finally explains the shiz you've been wondering about since the beginning. You've all been very patient. I hope this chapter is satisfactory. 
> 
> I want to give an extra big thanks to Naoto_Fuyumine for always leaving me such wonderful comments. I wish AO3 had a better system for replying to people because your comments make me so happy and I just want to give you all the love.

“Morgiana?”

Morgiana jumps. She follows the voice with her eyes and finds Hakuryuu standing several paces away. He is looking at her with wide eyes. Beside him is Judar. “What are you doing here?” he questions. His gaze rakes over her and his eyes widen further when they land on her back. “That wound!” He rushes over to her and inspects the burn with a horrified expression. His hands hover just over the blistering skin. “What on earth happened?”

Morgiana reaches back and lightly touches the wound. The brush of her fingertips feels like fire and she suppresses a wince. “I saw Judar come into the dungeon so I followed him,” she answers. “I thought he was going in to stop you.”

Hakuryuu turns to look sharply at Judar and the dark magi crosses his arms behind his head. “Whoops.”

Morgiana is about to question Hakuryuu about the magi’s presence but it is at that moment that the djinn appears in a burst of sweet smelling smoke. His arrival is accompanied by the hollow, vaguely musical sound of dry bones clinking together. Belial is a very handsome djinn, she thinks, though he has three extra eyes and he is adorned with giant, creepy, centipede-like skeletal structures.  

“Welcome,” he greets them, folding his arms over his chest. “You’ve both done well in making it here.” The bones slither around him like serpents. “I sense a great amount of truth and conviction in both of you. However, I have already chosen the one who will become my vessel.”

Morgiana and Hakuryuu look at each other in surprise. They never thought both of them would be considered to receive Belial’s powers. Judar whistles in amusement.

“Hakuryuu,” the djinn addresses her companion. Hakuryuu looks up at him. His mouth is set in a grim line. “You are a man who has made many mistakes. You once stole my powers for yourself and used them to destroy the lives of many people.”

Morgiana looks at her friend in shock. Her expression transforms into one of horror when instead of denying it, Hakuryuu looks down at his feet. She can read the guilt in his face. She takes a step back and her eyes dart between him and the djinn. Hakuryuu keeps his gaze fixed steadfastly away from her.

“However, the blame is partly mine,” Belial continues. “I was the one who pushed you over the edge. I thought I could save you, but instead I drove you to desperation. I apologize.”

Hakuryuu shakes his head and looks up to meet Belial’s gaze. “No. The fault is mine. It was just as you said; I couldn’t let go of my rage. There wasn’t a person alive who could have prevented what was growing in my heart. This time around, I intend to right my wrongs. Every one.”

The djinn smiles. “I have seen your resolve and know that your heart is filled with truth. I believe you will succeed.”

Hakuryuu puts his hands together and bows. “Thank you.”

Belial turns to her next. “Morgiana,” he addresses her. “You came into my dungeon not in pursuit of power but for the sake of your friend. Still, you passed my tests and have shown yourself to be worthy of my magic. So I will ask you again: do you seek power?”

Morgiana swallows. Her head is still spinning from what Belial just revealed about Hakuryuu, but she can ask him about that later. Right now, her promise to Alibaba and Aladdin comes first. “Yes.”

The djinn smiles. “Then you shall have it.” He flickers and then his body transforms into an orb of pure light which shoots down and comes to rest in her necklace. The symbol of his favor appears beside the red jewel and sparkles in the chamber’s golden light. Morgiana touches it delicately. She’s so surprised, she can’t even form words. Did she just…become a king vessel?

“Morgiana…” Hakuryuu says her name in wonder.

A few meters away, Judar bursts out laughing. “Now, that’s rich!” he exclaims. “You come into the dungeon to get Belial’s power but he gives it to her instead!” He pads over to them and reaches out to ruffle Hakuryuu’s hair with a grin. “Better luck next time, buddy. But, I mean, what did you really expect after last time, right?”

Hakuryuu doesn’t get a chance to answer because at that moment a magic circle appears below them and the dungeon begins to crumble. There is a burst of light and they are transferred back outside. A moment later the dungeon flickers and disappears leaving only an enormous hole in the ground in the place where it had stood.

Hakuryuu stands and helps Morgiana to her feet. “How is your back?” he asks. His eyebrows are furrowed in concern.

“It’s fine,” she answers honestly. Really, it’s not that bad. It should heal quickly. “More than that, Hakuryuu…I’m sorry,” she apologizes. “I didn’t mean to take Belial’s power for myself.”

Hakuryuu smiles. “It’s okay,” he assures her. “To be honest, it’s probably better this way. It doesn’t matter which of us has the power. We’re in this together, right?”

Morgiana doesn’t answer immediately. Instead, she grabs his hand. “Hakuryuu,” she starts, “when I was in there, I talked to some people. They explained some things that have been bothering me a lot lately.” She looks directly into his eyes. “Things that started bothering me back when we returned from the pirates’ base in Aktia.” She takes a deep breath. “Things that I think you are aware of as well.”

Hakuryuu’s eyes widen. He takes a step back but doesn’t try to pull out of her grip. A shadow passes over his face.

“Be honest with me,” she commands, squeezing his hand tighter. “When that djinn said you’d taken his powers by force before…and that you’d hurt a lot of people…that was in another future, wasn’t it?”

Hakuryuu is silent for a long moment but Morgiana waits and eventually her patience is rewarded. His lips thin and he lowers his gaze to their hands. “Yes,” he confirms. “You and I…and also Judar, here,” he glances over at the dark magi who raises an eyebrow back, “we all possess memories from a future that no longer exists.”

Morgiana narrows her eyes at him. So he really had known all along. She’s not sure how to feel about that. How could he have known all this time and never said anything? Why would he feign ignorance? “Why? What happened to it?”

Hakuryuu’s expression is pained. It’s clear that he doesn’t enjoy talking about this, but Morgiana needs to know. She’s going to go crazy if she doesn’t get answers.

“We chose to rewrite it,” he answers. “Or, more accurately, I did. I wanted to change fate.” His face tightens and his brow furrows. His eyes suddenly look like they’re seeing into another time. He clenches his free hand at his side. “No, I _had_ to. I asked for Judar’s help as a magi and we used to the power of the desires of all the people who were suffering—there were so, so many…it was awful—to send time backward.”

Morgiana’s mouth falls open. Such a thing…was it really possible? Her visions of Aladdin and Alibaba and then Belial himself all confirmed that they were living in a separate timeline. And her dreams…they were slowly starting to come back to her now. The pieces were continuing to fall into place. “That explains your and Judar’s odd behavior,” she admits. “But what about me? Alibaba and Aladdin didn’t appear to have any memories from this scrapped future, but somehow I do. I can vaguely recall certain things that I know transpired…though I can’t remember anything about what happened to make you want to reset everything.”

Judar steps forward. His red eyes are piercing. “That’s because you died, sweetheart,” he states, one corner of his mouth turning up into a humorless half grin.

Hakuryuu stiffens and he sends Judar a look so dark that his pale blue eyes resemble those of a dragon about to bite off the head of a tiger in a single monstrous chomp.

Morgiana blinks back at him. “I…what?”

Judar clearly has a death wish, because he ignores Hakuryuu’s warning look and repeats, “You died. It was quite the tragedy. Nothing anyone could have done to stop it.” He sends a sidelong glance at Hakuryuu. “Well, except for him.”

Morgiana thinks Hakuryuu is going to punch the smug magi, but when she looks back at him the rage has drained from his face and his eyes look empty.

“Zagan’s powers probably could have saved you, but unfortunately, Hakuryuu wasn’t there when it happened. He’d been on his way back to Rakushou to meet you guys at the time, but he ended up missing you by a day. Such shitty circumstances, right?”

Morgiana’s mouth falls open and she can’t decide where to look; at Hakuryuu who is still standing silently with that haunted look in his eyes or at Judar who is watching her reaction to his tale with interest. She shakes her head and finally focuses on Judar. “How?” she asks, finally releasing Hakuryuu’s hand. She finds her strength has left her.

“It was a curse,” Hakuryuu finally speaks up. “Arba…she was desperate. She’d lost all her power and then she lost Sinbad as well. But unbeknownst to us, she had already set up a contingency plan. She knew she could regain her power by forcing a large number of people to fall into depravity, so she planted the seeds of a magical plague. It started in Aktia with the same symptoms as a common flu. From there, it was carried by ship to Balbadd, Parthevia, and Heliohapt. The use of transportation magic circles made short work of the rest of the world. In the beginning we all thought it was just a particularly nasty flu season. Nobody knew that it was actually a curse that, once triggered, would kill its host violently and with great swiftness. A tenth of the world’s population was lost in a single night. That number rose to twenty percent over the next few days. A fifth of the world’s people. Gone. Just like that.”

“When Hakuryuu learned that you had caught it, he rushed for Rakushou,” Judar continues for him. “But you were already gone. That’s when he got the idea to reset time. It was the perfect ‘fuck you’ to the old witch; hijacking the intense feelings created by her own curse to change destiny before she could.”

“So…” Morgiana starts slowly as she attempts to wrap her head around everything she’s just heard. “The reason I still have memories is because it was my death that you based your wish to turn back time around.” She looks at Hakuryuu for verification.

Hakuryuu lifts his eyes from the ground where they’d been firmly planted until now to look her in the eye. “Yes. Even if it killed me, I had to do it. I couldn’t accept a world without you in it.” He smiles then and she doesn’t think she’s ever seen such a heartbreaking expression. “I’m sorry, Morgiana. It turns out I’m pretty selfish.”

She shakes her head. “No.” Her brain is struggling to process everything she’s just learned. “No. I should be thanking you.” She turns to Judar. “Both of you. I can’t say that I completely understand everything you’ve just told me, but do understand that I wouldn’t be alive now if it weren’t for what you did.”

Hakuryuu closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. When he opens them again, he lifts his arms out to her and she doesn’t need to be told what he wants. She steps into the circle of his arms and he closes them around her, holding her fiercely. “I’m sorry,” he apologizes again. “I hoped that you would never have to remember.”

She shakes her head against his chest. “I’m relieved,” she admits. “I felt like I was going crazy. Now I know all those feelings of déjà vu I was having were because I was remembering things that actually happened.”

All this still feels very fantastical, though. Her memories are still very much full of holes and she’s certain there must be consequences for doing what Hakuryuu did, but right now she won’t dwell on it. She’ll just accept it because that’s what she does and there’s no use in wasting energy worrying about things that are already done.

Hakuryuu releases her reluctantly and turns to Judar. “How is the situation in Kou? Does Gyokuen suspect anything?”

Judar shrugs. “You can never really tell with the old hag, but I don’t think so. She’s been quiet and well-behaved like a good little girl. I’m pretty sure she’s biding her time until she can off the grumpy old bastard. Shouldn’t be long now.”

Hakuryuu grimaces but nods. “And Sinbad?”

“The usual. Plans within plans. I gotta say, it’s boring now that I know what’s coming.”

Hakuryuu smiles at that. “Then how about I give you a job? I think it’s time someone took care of what’s been growing inside of Director Mogamett’s basement before somebody accidentally makes Gyokuen very happy.”

Judar grins and punches his right fist into his left palm. “Hoo! I do love a good opportunity to raise some terror. Your wish is my command, my king.”

Hakuryuu’s smile twists into a smirk. “Just make sure you don’t bully them into actually using the things. And also—”

“Don’t mess with the midget’s mission. Got it.” Judar mock salutes him. “Then I’ll see you back in Kou when I’ve finished.”

Hakuryuu holds up his forearm to the magi and Judar knocks his own against it. He then turns to Morgiana and smirks. “Later, doll. Do me a favor and don’t let this guy be too good, ‘kay?”

He disappears before Morgiana can answer. Instead, she turns back to Hakuryuu and asks, “So, when did Judar join our side, exactly?”

Hakuryuu smiles guiltily. “It’s a, uh, long story.

Morgiana blinks at him. “I see.”

“Anyway,” he segues, “you’re a metal vessel user now.” He reaches out a hand and delicately touches the necklace at her throat. “Congratulations.”

Morgiana touches it as well. She doesn’t feel any different, to be honest, but she supposes now she’ll be able to use a djinn’s powers like Hakuryuu and Alibaba. Though she still has no idea what Belial’s power is.

Hakuryuu seems to sense what she’s thinking because he explains, “Belial is a life magic djinn. His magic will allow you to control people’s minds and make them see and hear things that aren’t real. It’s a terrifying power when misused, but we can use it to quickly take down the bulk of Al-Thamen’s spy network.”

Morgiana runs her fingers over the smooth surface of the necklace and considers Hakuryuu’s words. So Belial is a djinn who attacks the mind. It’s an odd power for her to receive, she thinks, as she’s a warrior first and foremost and her approach has always been the direct, high speed and hard hitting type. But she’s learning that there’s more to battling than physical strength alone so she accepts this djinn as one more lesson; one more rung on the ladder to her goal.

“I…will require instruction,” she says, looking up into Hakuryuu’s eyes. She never once imagined that she would gain the power of a djinn for herself and she’s quite at a loss for how to properly utilize this new kind of strength. Fanalis are not known for their magic. She wonders if there has ever been a metal vessel user among her kind before or if she is the first.

“We have time,” Hakuryuu assures her with a smile. “Originally, I intended to head across the border into Kou next and begin my attack on Al-Thamen, but since you are the one Belial chose, I propose we find my sister instead. She will need to be informed of our plans anyway and as another metal vessel user she can aid in your training.”

Morgiana feels guilt rise in her chest again. “I’ve messed up your plans. I’m sorry.”

Hakuryuu shakes his head. “It’s really not a problem at all,” he assures her. “Our combined strength as metal vessel users will be greater than me commanding two djinns by myself.” His smile widens into a grin. “And besides, since both of our djinns control type 8 magic we’re virtually invulnerable. I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of a better team.”

Hakuryuu’s eyes are full of light and Morgiana takes a moment to really study his face again now that she’s regained some of her memories. There’s still so much missing from the years leading up to her supposed death but she knows the expression that Hakuryuu is making right now is one that was never shown to her in that future. Not even once. The face of the Hakuryuu in her fragmented memory is hard and haunted and full of sorrow. Why did she never notice how tortured he’d still been even after returning to the light?

No…it wasn’t that she hadn’t noticed. She had pretended not to see. She had convinced herself that everything was okay because she couldn’t handle the alternative. She had turned her back on him because his despair was inconvenient. She’s the worst kind of person.

She silently makes a promise right now that she will never turn away from him again.

“Oh!” Hakuryuu says suddenly, surprising her. He brings his pack around and fishes inside it for a moment. A second later he pulls out a spare tunic. He holds the garment out to her. “Here. To cover your back.”

She accepts it, feeling even more guilty now. Hakuryuu is so thoughtful and generous and she feels like she doesn’t deserve such kindness after how she treated him in the other future. She wonders how he can still regard her so highly when she turned her back on him, but as she pulls the tunic on over her ruined dress she catches his scent in the fabric and realizes that’s just how Hakuryuu is. He is kind and warm and when he cares about someone or something he cares deeply; straight from his soul. She thinks that’s always been what she’s liked the most about him. “Thank you,” she tells him from the bottom of her heart.

Hakuryuu blinks at her for a moment and then blushes and scratches the back of his head shyly. “Of course.”

After that, they readjust their packs on their backs and prepare to depart. Hakuryuu calls upon Zagan’s powers and they take to the sky once more. It’s time to find Hakuryuu’s sister.


	10. Hakuei

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come at me, chapter 327. I'll fight you. 
> 
> This chapter has been split into two parts. I apologize for the shortness and the ending's abruptness.

According to Hakuryuu, his sister should currently be rounding up forces in the Tenzan Plateau. There are only a few Kou outposts so he suspects finding her shouldn’t prove too difficult. They start their search at the northernmost station as it’s the closest; only a few hours’ flight from the valley where Belial’s dungeon had stood.

The sun is shining brightly and the breeze on their skin is warm. There isn’t a cloud in the sky. While they fly, Morgiana attempts to put the pieces of her memory together into something coherent.

She knows that Aktia Kingdom is where the division starts. She remembers how her instincts screamed at her to stop Hakuryuu from leaving then and gathers that in the original timeline she must have let him go. She also remembers that up until that point Hakuryuu had been filled with anger and she knows from his conversations with Yunan and Belial that he fell into depravity at some point in between leaving them and the point where her memories inform her that he joined them again. She knows he was with her and Aladdin in the Dark Continent while she trained with her people and Aladdin learned magic from Mother Dragon. Then they’d met up with Alibaba again and she and Aladdin joined Alibaba as he went around the world building his trading company but Hakuryuu left them to go off on a personal journey to find Judar.

The patchiest part of her memory is still the period between when Hakuryuu left them in Aktia Kingdom and when she and Aladdin and him escaped to the Dark Continent. She knows general facts—such as that Reim attacked Magnostadt which caused an access point for Il-Illah to descend on their world and that Hakuryuu became the emperor of Kou and Arba allied with Sinbad—but she doesn’t remember the exact series of events that lead to these things happening. She wonders if eventually all of her memories will return or if they’ve been forever lost to the ether.

A part of her thinks maybe she’d be happier not remembering.

They arrive at the outpost and the guards go into a momentary panic when they see them until they realize one of their visitors is the fourth prince of their nation. Morgiana doesn’t blame them. She probably would have reacted the same if a djinn-equipped Hakuryuu and unknown Fanalis dropped from the sky right into the center of her camp.

“I’m looking for General Hakuei,” Hakuryuu announces, not wasting any time. The soldiers have all scurried into their ranks and kneel before him respectfully. Morgiana is impressed by how swiftly they are able to react to receiving an unexpected royal guest.

“My lord,” the man who is clearly in charge speaks up, holding his fist against his chest. “The general and her household are currently out on patrol about three leagues south of here.” One of his men hurries from the back and hands him a map which he presents to Hakuryuu. Hakuryuu unfurls the rolled up parchment and Morgiana can see that it is well marked. All of the outposts are clearly labeled and the man points to a spot a few inches below their dot. “Here, your highness.”

Hakuryuu nods and hands the map back to him. “Thank you. That will be all.”

The man bows deeply and Hakuryuu nods to her. Neither the outpost commander nor his men rise until she and Hakuryuu have taken flight again and are a good fifty meters away. If they are surprised by Hakuryuu’s sudden swift arrival and departure, they don’t show it.

“Your country’s troops are very well trained,” she comments as they fly. She’s seen many armies in many countries but never has she seen such organization and discipline.

“The Kou Empire is a nation built on and for war,” Hakuryuu explains, turning over to soar on his back a few feet below her. The golden ornaments adoring his necklace flutter and clink in the wind. “Our soldiers are our greatest asset. Without discipline the whole machine would fall apart pretty quickly.”

Morgiana thinks about this. She vaguely remembers Kou suffering when the world transitioned to an era of peace. But surely the people of Kou should have known that if they kept conquering other countries they would eventually run out of battles to fight. She finds the whole idea of being a nation that runs on war very strange and backwards because she thinks fighting should be about protecting things, not taking things, and what is Kou protecting by fighting apart from their right to keep fighting?

“What about you?” she asks. “Kou is your home. What do you think about being part of a nation that only knows how to make war?”

Hakuryuu stares up at her for a long moment and then says, “To be honest, I’ve never cared about unifying the world or expanding Kou’s borders. My father and brothers had a dream that they could end all conflict and suffering by bringing every nation together under one ruler, but as for me…I’ve come to cherish the diversity that individual countries bring to the world. There’s beauty in every nation working hard on its own to live in a way that brings its people happiness. I have no interest in a single kingdom that runs like a machine. If it were up to me, I’d put an end to the campaigns and focus on turning Kou into a nation that can be proud of itself in its own right.”

Morgiana regards her friend curiously. It’s clear that he’s thought a lot about this. “I don’t see what’s stopping you,” she tells him, flying lower until she’s about an arm’s length from him. “Become emperor. Your cousin didn’t seem like he would mind.”

Hakuryuu smiles wanly at her suggestion. “I would be lying if I said I haven’t considered it,” he admits. “But to tell you the truth, I don’t know if I can do that again. I would do anything to protect my country, but I just don’t know if there’s enough of me left these days. I don’t know if I’m strong enough.”

Morgiana is confused by this. If there’s one thing she knows about Hakuryuu it’s that he has the determination to do anything. When he decides to do something, hell or high water, he will see it through. He’s never been a quitter. Not once.

Hakuryuu reads her confusion and explains. “The emperor’s first duty is to his people and he has to give his whole self to them. His life becomes bound to his position. Kou needs someone who can make that commitment; someone who won’t make the mistakes I’ve made. From the start, it was never my intention to stick around that long.”

Morgiana frowns. “You plan to go somewhere?”

Hakuryuu smiles. “Yeah. Once I’ve made up for everything, I plan to start over. I messed up a little too much.” He raises a hand to his heart. “For my own happiness, it’s something I need to do.”

Morgiana chews on this. She wonders where Hakuryuu is thinking of going and why she gets the odd feeling that it will be a place she can’t follow. The thought of him going off alone leaves a sour taste in her mouth. She knows from her memories that every time she’s let him go something bad has happened.

“Are you unhappy?” she asks, reaching down to him. He takes her hand out of habit. His nails in this form are long and sharp and scrape delicately against her palm but he’s so careful that Morgiana never fears he will hurt her.

He looks surprised at her question. He blinks up at her for a moment then closes his eyes and shakes his head. When he opens them again he’s suddenly so close that his crimson eyes burn into hers. The way he looks at her steals her breath. The emotion she sees in them is unfathomable. They hold the brilliance of the sun but reveal nothing of what is going on behind. For the second time she feels like his heart is a locked box with no key. “No. I’m very happy.”

She wants to ask _then why do you need to go?_ But she can’t form the words. His eyes still her tongue. When he finally pulls back and releases her hand, Morgiana realizes that she’s been holding her breath. There’s a funny squeezing sensation in her chest. She brings a hand up to her breastbone and frowns.

Hakuryuu is scanning the ground now. They must be getting close. Morgiana shrugs off the odd feeling and focuses on the task at hand. She wonders if Hakuei will be anything like Kouen. From Hakuryuu’s stories, Morgiana imagines his sister as a calm and gentle person. It’s funny, she thinks, that before she met Hakuryuu, she imagined the Kou Empire’s royal family to be cold and warmongering, but every one of them that she’s met—Hakuryuu, Kougyoku, and even Kouen—have been surprisingly kind. Not a single one of them has struck her as a bad person.

Suddenly, Hakuryuu’s face lights up. “There!” he calls, pointing out to the horizon. Morgiana follows his finger and sees a company of black dots moving in the distance. From the number and the flags being sailed, it can only be a Kou military contingent.

Hakuryuu puts on a burst of speed and Morgiana is forced to exert more power to keep up with him. It only takes a few minutes until they are on top of the company and men on horseback are exclaiming and pointing up at them in wonder. The figure in the front calls for a halt and Hakuryuu waits for them to calm their horses before dropping down in front of the woman who Morgiana vaguely recognizes as his sister. Morgiana joins him a little uncertainly. Hakuryuu is smiling and Hakuei has dismounted and is staring at him in fascination.

“Hakuryuu?” she questions, holding out a slightly unsure hand to him.

Hakuryuu’s smile widens and he takes her hand in both of his. “Sister,” he greets her warmly. “I’ve returned at last.”

Hakuei’s mouth makes an “o” of surprise and she looks him up and down, taking in his new, fused form. “You’ve captured a dungeon,” she observes, looking back up into his eyes. Her lips pull up into a lovely smile. “Congratulations.”

Hakuryuu shakes his head and Morgiana is surprised when he turns back and grabs her hand. He pulls her forward in front of his sister. “I never could have done it without Morgiana’s help,” he says, squeezing her hand and giving her a smile.

Morgiana flushes and shakes her head. “I did nothing important,” she denies, pulling her hand free to raise them between herself and Hakuei.

Hakuei turns her beautiful smile on Morgiana and steps forward to take her hands. Hakuei’s hands are soft and delicate looking but Morgiana can feel strength in her fingers. She is probably the most stunningly lovely woman Morgiana has ever met. Her eyes are deep and full of kindness and her smile could probably melt steel. Standing before her, Morgiana feels gangly and awkward and far too young. “Thank you, Miss Morgiana.”

Morgiana doesn’t know how to respond to the warrior princess so she just nods. The motion brings Hakuei’s attention to her necklace and her eyes widen. “You possess a metal vessel as well.” She releases Morgiana’s hands to let her fingers hover just over the glittering jewelry.

“Yes,” Morgiana confirms. “But I don’t know how to use it yet.”

“That’s why we came,” Hakuryuu explains. “Morgiana needs to learn to use her metal vessel and I bring news from the West.” He puts his hands together and requests, “Please allow us to join you and your company for a while.”

Hakuei frowns slightly but nods. “Of course. I could never refuse a request from my dear younger brother.” Her frown melts back into a smile and she turns back to Morgiana. “And I think it will be nice to have some female company.”

Morgiana doesn’t know if she’s the best choice for ‘female company’ but Hakuei’s easy acceptance of her causes some of her tension to fade and she puts on a determined expression. “I will do my best to behave in a sufficiently female way.”

Hakuei laughs and even that is pretty. She waves to one of her men and a moment later two unmanned horses are brought from the back of the company; one black and one grey with dark speckles. Hakuei takes the reins of the pretty speckled horse and leads it up to Morgiana. “Miss Morgiana, I would be very happy if you would ride beside me.”

Morgiana looks up at the large beast warily. It’s beautiful but the thought of sitting atop such a creature intimidates her a little. She's fought bigger and meaner creatures countless times but she's never had to work together with an animal before. She's always relied on her own two sturdy and dependable feet to get her where she needs to go. “I’ve never ridden before,” she confesses, looking back at Hakuei unsurely.

Hakuei merely smiles. Her expression says that she finds Morgiana's hesitation charming. “Then I will just have to teach you." She spares a glance at Morgiana's bare legs and lifts a hand to her chin. "Although, firstly, I think you’re going to want some pants.”


	11. Hakuei pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took so long. I had to do a lot of tweaking to make it publishable. I’ve been plotting out the rest of the story and trying to decide what point I want to take it up to. As cool as it would be to rewrite the whole manga, I just don't know if that’s feasible. Still, I absolutely don’t want to leave things half-baked/unresolved so I have a lot of thinking to do. I hope you all will continue to support me whatever happens!
> 
> And if you have a moment...maybe leave lil ol' me a comment? *is hopeful*

Riding is actually quite fun once Morgiana gets the hang of it. She finds she likes her horse very much. Hakuei tells her the horse is a mare named Seiya. Morgiana scratches behind Seiya’s ears as they ride and the horse seems to enjoy it. She’s glad for the pants Hakuei lent her as her thighs rub against Seiya’s sides.

Hakuryuu rides a few meters behind them on the black horse. It’s a stallion named Yari. Yari is younger and wilder than Seiya but Hakuryuu controls him well. He’s clearly spent time around horses. Hakuei’s men are very interested in the younger brother of their general and several of them ride up next to him and ask him questions about Zagan’s dungeon. Morgiana only half listens to them because Hakuei keeps her busy with questions of her own.

“I assume Hakuryuu met you while he was studying in Sindria?” she asks politely.

Morgiana nods. “Yes. My companions and I were staying in Sindria when he and Princess Kougyoku came.”

Hakuei hums thoughtfully. “So you were just staying there temporarily. You are not a citizen of Sindria.”

“No,” she confirms. “Actually, I was living in Qishan until I met my companions, Aladdin and Alibaba.”

Hakuei’s eyes widen and her face lights up. “Aladdin, you say? By any chance, is this companion of yours a young boy with a long braid?” She spreads her hands apart to mime the style in question.

Morgiana regards the lovely princess with new interest. “Yes, that’s right. Have you met him?”

Hakuei smiles widely. “I have. He once helped me when I was in trouble. To think that the little boy I met back then is the same as the companion you say you’ve been traveling with. It’s a quite the small world.” She chuckles to herself. “Tell me, is he well?”

Morgiana nods. “Yes. Hakuryuu and I were together with him until just recently, but he had something to take care of so we have parted ways for now. We plan to meet up again in ten months’ time.”

Hakuei looks gives her a curious look. “Hakuryuu as well?”

Morgiana shrugs. “I imagine so.” Hakuryuu never actually confirmed whether or not he will come with her to rejoin the others, but he hasn’t said he won’t.

“I see.” Hakuei wears a small smile as she refocuses her attention forward. “I’m relieved to hear that my brother has begun to make some friends. He’s always been rather disinclined to socialize and I was a little worried that he would never branch out from me and our siblings.”

Morgiana thinks she can understand why Hakuei would be concerned about such a thing. When she first met Hakuryuu he did come off as very reserved. She always got the feeling there was a lot going on inside his head that he simply chose not to share. But she knows now that it isn’t that Hakuryuu doesn’t enjoy the company of others; he simply refused to allow himself to do anything that might distract him from his mission.

“He’s changed,” the Kou princess continues, glancing back over her shoulder at her brother and her men. “I can tell just by looking at him. He looks happy.”

Morgiana looks back at Hakuryuu as well. He is smiling and the men around him are all laughing and grinning. They seem to be having a fun conversation. Hakuei’s household are unlike the troops in the northern outpost. They are easygoing and social and Morgiana can tell that they have a good relationship. Even Hakuryuu has been swept up in their good cheer.

Hakuei is right. Hakuryuu has seemed happier to her lately. At the start of their journey his behavior had been more formal and she could sense a great sadness weighing on him, but over the months that weight has seemed to lessen. Now when he smiles she can see his joy. She no longer feels like he’s masking his real feelings. She’s also noticed a change in the way he treats her. At the start of their journey he kept her at arm’s length and shied away from excessive physical contact, but now he has no reservations about touching her and being touched by her. He initiates as much as she does and seems to take the same comfort as her from their contact.

Hakuryuu senses her gaze on him and looks over at her. Their eyes meet and he smiles. His eyes mirror the cloudless sky and a light breeze causes his hair to flutter around his face. Morgiana turns away. Her cheeks feel suddenly much too warm.

Hakuei glances at her and a small, secretive smile appears on her face. For the second time, Morgiana finds herself feeling envious of the Kou princess’ natural beauty. No matter her expression, Hakuei is the embodiment of elegance.

Morgiana is not elegant. She is not graceful. She cannot turn heads with a look or perform delicate tasks and that’s always been fine with her—as a Fanalis, such traits are largely unnecessary—but being in the presence of a woman such as Hakuryuu’s sister makes her wonder if she’s somehow lacking compared to other females. Perhaps that is the reason she could never turn Alibaba’s head like the giggling girls in the companionship houses.

Morgiana slaps her cheeks to break herself out of such silly and uncharacteristic thoughts. If she is lacking anything, it’s strength. She needs to focus on becoming stronger in order to protect her friends. That is the most important thing to her.

Just before nightfall, they stop and set up camp roughly a kilometer off from a small river. Morgiana and Hakuryuu help Hakuei’s men pitch tents and unload the horses. Hakuei’s is the largest tent and she invites the two of them to share with her; an offer which Hakuryuu and Morgiana accept gratefully.

It feels nice to have something of a roof over their heads again and when Morgiana and Hakuryuu settle in for the evening they are able to enjoy all the comforts of an inn. One of Hakuei’s men brings the three of them a hot meal and they relax among colorful, embroidered cushions as they eat. Hakuei explains that the cushions were gifts from the various villages she and her company visited during their travels and they listen with interest as she tells them all sorts of stories from her campaign in the Tenzan region.

The food is quite good for a company of cavalrymen and Morgiana eats with gusto. It’s the first warm meal she’s had in days and she relishes it. They even receive a small traditional Kou dessert with their food and Morgiana notes that each of theirs is different. Hers is a white, rabbit-shaped bean cake. She pops it in her mouth and chews curiously. It’s sweet and squishy and feels nice on her tongue. She cups a hand to her cheek in delight.

Hakuryuu laughs at her expression and lifts the small plate holding his own dessert. It also appears to be a bean cake but it’s shaped like a persimmon. He takes a small bite and chews with a thoughtful expression. When he’s finished, he nods in approval and hands the rest to her. Morgiana accepts the offering and consumes it with zeal.

Hakuei watches with interest. She’s wearing the same secretive smile as earlier. She lifts her own dessert to her mouth and takes a dainty bite. After a moment, she says, “Hakuryuu, you haven’t yet told me your news.”

Hakuryuu straightens and nods. His expression becomes serious. “That’s right. Morgiana and I have been to see Kouen in Balbadd.”

“Kouen?” Hakuei questions, appearing surprised.

“Yes,” he confirms. “We went to see him a few weeks ago to discuss a very important matter regarding Kou’s succession.”

Hakuei frowns. She looks suddenly apprehensive. “Hakuryuu…what are you saying? Why would you need to discuss such a thing with Kouen?”

“Because,” Hakuryuu answers, regarding his sister gravely, “Soon, the emperor will die.”

Hakuei’s eyes widen but Hakuryuu continues before she can say anything. “At that time, Al-Thamen is going to make a grab for the throne. That’s why I went to see Kouen; to ask him to become the next emperor.”

Hakuei shakes her head. She looks unsure; like she doesn’t quite believe him. “Such a thing…” she trails off. “I know that you’ve always disapproved of Al-Thamen, but to accuse them of plotting against our uncle… That’s going a bit too far, don’t you think? Surely Kouen told you the same thing.”

Hakuryuu’s expression doesn’t change. “No,” he corrects. “He agreed. He knows as well as I do who our real enemy is.”

Hakuei looks pained; like hearing this hurts her. “Hakuryuu,” she starts, but he cuts her off.

“It’s Gyokuen. Our mother.” He leans forward. “You’ve already realized that she is at the center of all the strange things that have been happening within the Kou Empire. The time for ignoring her has passed. She will kill Emperor Koutoku and she will try to take the throne for herself.” His eyes narrow. They are hard; like steel. “Just like she killed our father and brothers.”

Hakuei flinches. Morgiana feels pity for her. What Hakuryuu is saying isn’t untrue but his delivery is coarse. He’s doing nothing to soften the impact of his revelation. But she understands why he’s doing it. He needs his sister to listen to him and not simply write him off as an ignorant child. He needs to prove to her that he knows what he’s talking about.

“Sister,” he addresses her, reaching across the table to grasp her hand. “I always thought that I could protect you from her, but I’ve realized that unless I stop her now she will find a way to steal everything we love from us. As long as she lives, no one is safe. I won’t ask you to take up arms against her; I’m simply asking for your support.”

“Support?” she echoes, her eyes falling briefly shut as she digests what she’s just been told. “Even if what you say is true and our mother did kill Hakuyuu, Hakuren and our father…just what would have me do?”

Hakuryuu’s gaze doesn’t falter. “Stay safe,” he says. “And tell no one what I’ve told you. I know what I’m saying is difficult to believe, but you need to trust me. Very soon, we will be summoned back to Rakushou for the emperor’s funeral. At that time, you can verify everything I’ve said with Kouen.”

Hakuei looks pained. Morgiana imagines that she doesn’t want to believe that her own brother wishes to kill their mother. She lifts her free hand to her breast and closes her eyes. When she opens them again, she wears a look of conviction. “I understand,” she says at last. “I wish that what you’ve just told me came as more of a surprise, but I too have felt that our mother has changed. As much as I don’t want to believe it…”

Hakuryuu’s expression softens. “I didn’t either,” he confesses. “When Hakuyuu told me she was responsible for the fire, I thought for sure that he was mistaken. I was convinced that it was a plot by our uncle to steal the throne for himself. But she confessed. When I confronted her about it, she admitted to starting the fire. I kept the truth to myself all these years because I was sure your life would be in danger as well if you knew.”

Hakuei closes her eyes and bites her cheek. Morgiana can tell that she has accepted Hakuryuu’s claim but still she wishes she could say something to support him. She knows how desperately he wants to keep his sister safe after what happened to her in the other timeline. However, in this timeline Morgiana hasn’t met Gyokuen yet so her words would carry no weight. Instead, she says, “Miss Hakuei, I too believe that you should take care. It would put Hakuryuu at ease.”

Hakuryuu shoots her a thankful look and nods at his sister. “I promise to explain everything thoroughly soon, so until then, please trust me.”

Hakuei opens her eyes and looks back and forth between them with a sad frown. Finally, she lowers her head. “Very well. I will continue to act as I have until now while I await your explanation.” She slides her hand free of Hakuryuu’s and folds it with its partner in her lap. “To be honest, for the past few months I’ve had a feeling of foreboding that I’ve been unable to explain. Whenever I think about returning to Rakushou my heart quickens and my breath comes shorter. I wonder if I’ve begun to fear the thought of returning to our mother’s side.”

Hakuryuu lays a comforting hand on his sister’s shoulder. His expression hasn’t changed but Morgiana can tell he’s thinking the same thing as her. The feeling of foreboding Hakuei speaks of is likely a remnant of the her from the other timeline; the one possessed by Arba. It’s just as the Aladdin in Belial’s dungeon said: everyone carries a piece of the them that was lost. Hakuei’s quick acceptance of the truth about Gyokuen is probably due to that as well. Thinking back on it, the same could probably be said for Kouen. “I’ll protect you,” he assures her. “This time, she’s not going to get her way. I swear it.”

Morgiana watches the exchange with a serious expression. She believes in Hakuryuu. She knows he will continue to do his very best to avert tragedy this time around and she knows that right now fate is on his side. The will to forge a brighter future that resides within everyone will guide them on their path.

But…

A small part of her feels just the tiniest amount of trepidation. There’s no guarantee that that same residual will doesn’t play for both teams. For now, though, she won’t worry about it too much. Everything is going according to plan and Hakuryuu’s side has many more people than Gyokuen’s. There is no cause for concern at this time.

For now, she will wait and see how things unfold.


	12. Belial's Magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a comment! Huzzah! Take that, prepz and haterz.

Morgiana spends the next few days learning the ins and outs of her metal vessel. Hakuryuu does his best to instruct her. The first time she’s able to transform her necklace into its weapon form she nearly drops it in shock. The enormous skeletal scythe that appears in her hands is a far cry from the kind of weapon she expected to receive based on her own personal fighting style. It looks like something straight out of a nightmare. She has never wielded a blade before and she doesn’t know the first thing about scythes.

“You’ll need to be very, very careful with that,” Hakuryuu warns. “That blade does not simply cut; it banishes the spirit of whatever it touches to another dimension entirely.”

Morgiana looks down at the weapon in her hands uneasily. She doesn’t understand exactly what Hakuryuu means by banishing someone to another dimension but she doesn’t think she much cares for such a power. Killing is one thing. She can do that if she must. But sending someone to another dimension… The thought sends a shiver up her spine.

“It’s a weapon best saved for when it’s really needed,” Hakuryuu says, reading her mind. “Kicks and punches will suffice for most enemies.”

Morgiana sighs in relief and allows the scythe to change back into a necklace. She doesn’t think she will be using it very often.

“More important to us is Belial’s other power,” he continues. “The ability to create illusions. That magic is what we will use to bring Al-Thamen to its knees.”

Morgiana nods. The day is warm and sunlight streams through the gaps in the branches of the fruit trees that shelter them. She tries not to become distracted by the sweet smell of plums and the pleasant feeling of the mild breeze on her skin.

“I want you to try to show me an illusion,” he instructs. “Using Belial’s powers, you can make your victim believe anything. You can show them a scene of your choosing or force them to live their greatest fear or even trap them in a fantasy where all of their dreams come true. The limit is your imagination.”

Morgiana furrows her brow. She’s never had much imagination. She wonders if these powers are really suited to her.

“Anything is okay,” he assures her. “Try starting small. Just focus on an image in your head and then will me to see it as well. That’s all there is to it.”

She closes her eyes and tries to do as he instructs. It takes her a few moments to think of something but once she does she focuses hard on the image and then on Hakuryuu. To her amazement, the mark on her necklace begins to shine.

Hakuryuu’s pale eyes stare vacantly ahead for a short moment and then he blinks and she can tell that his awareness has returned. He frowns and looks confused. “Did…you just show me Alibaba getting married to a gorilla?”

Morgiana flushes and looks down at her hands. “It was the first thing I thought of,” she admits.

Hakuryuu’s cheeks puff out and a beat later he’s laughing. Morgiana watches him unsurely for a moment and then begins to laugh herself. It _was_ an odd choice.

When Hakuryuu is able to stop laughing, he says, “Let’s keep practicing. This time, try to make your illusion talk.”

Morgiana nods and closes her eyes. She sifts through her mind for a good scene. She thinks briefly of Aladdin and then Alibaba and even Sinbad. She has many memories with all of them that she can show him. She thinks of Hakuryuu himself and recalls meeting him for the first time in Sindria and then their mission in Zagan’s dungeon. She remembers how he threw a tantrum when the fake Zagan picked on him. She can vividly recall him sobbing on the floor. _‘You’re all stupid!’_ the Hakuryuu in her head wails.

She hears a strangled noise from the Hakuryuu in front of her. “Not that!” he exclaims and she opens her eyes to see him holding his head and shaking it violently. He stops and looks up at her with a pained expression.

She raises an appeasing hand to him. “Ah… Sorry.”

Hakuryuu closes his eyes and sighs. His cheeks are pink. “Anyway, it seems like you’ve gotten the hang of simple illusions. We can work on the more complicated stuff later so why don’t we take a break,” he suggests. He opens one eye to look at her wryly.

Morgiana won’t argue with that. The sunlight on her skin and the warm grass beneath her are making her feel drowsy. She thinks she could go for a nap. Hakuei and her men aren’t planning to start moving again for a while yet. Decision made, she crawls over to where Hakuryuu is sitting and curls up on the grass beside him.

Hakuryuu looks down at her and tightens one corner of his mouth in a mock pout. “I see how it is.”

She stares back up at him wordlessly for a drawn out moment and finally he sighs and falls onto his back next to her. “Fine. I guess a nap sounds nice.”

She smiles and scoots closer to snuggle against his side. He laughs and moves his head so that he can rest his cheek on her crown. The grass is soft and cushy and the air smells of plums and it doesn’t take long for Morgiana’s eyes to begin to droop. She allows them to fall shut and lets the nice day steal her away to dreamland.

* * *

 

For once, Morgiana doesn’t dream of the future that was lost. She dreams instead of the imperial palace in Rakushou. She’s standing on a stone pathway near the training grounds. The scenery is a familiar, however the palace grounds look different to her. The place is full of flowers and all around her she sees noble ladies wandering the gardens in brightly colored dresses. It looks like a scene out of a painting.

It’s odd, but Morgiana can somehow tell that she’s dreaming. The kinds of inconsistencies that would normally be overlooked in a typical dream are starkly apparent to her. She understands that this Rakushou is not the one she visited in the lost timeline. It’s fresher looking and more bustling and she wonders why she would dream of such a place but it’s not like she can control what her sleeping mind decides to conjure up so she just accepts it.

Morgiana’s feet take her to the training grounds and she sees two young men in white sparring with spears. She ventures over to get a better look. One has wild hair and wears a large grin and the other is austere and devastatingly handsome. He almost looks like Hakuryuu except for the absence of the large splash of scar tissue around his left eye. She watches them with interest as they swing and thrust their spears at each other. Many of the noble women have gathered to watch as well.

All at once, a hand holding a freshly plucked clover appears in her vision. Morgiana follows the arm attached to the hand and finds Hakuryuu standing beside her, smiling. She takes the clover and spins it idly between her thumb and index finger. “Those two are my brothers,” he tells her nodding to the duelists. “The one smiling like a fool is Hakuren and the serious one is Hakuyuu.” The women watching the competition give a gasp as the tip of Hakuyuu’s spear slices the air just inches from his brother’s face and Hakuryuu laughs. “They always were popular with the ladies.”

Morgiana takes a moment to study the dueling young men. She can certainly see the family resemblance. Both share Hakuryuu and Hakuei’s dark hair and pale skin and they even have the same mole under the left corner of their mouths. Her gaze remains on the older of the two, Hakuyuu, just a tad longer and then she turns back at her friend. “He looks like you.”

Hakuryuu blinks down at her and then looks back at his brothers. “Who, Hakuyuu?” he questions. He raises an eyebrow at her. “Sure…I guess.”

“He does,” she insists. “You have the same jaw. And the same eyes.”

Hakuryuu cocks his head pensively and touches his jaw. He lets his hand drop and shrugs. They watch silently for a few moments and Morgiana can’t help but compare Hakuyuu and Hakuren’s technique with what she’s seen of Hakuryuu’s. They are all masterful at wielding their weapons, to be sure, but she can see the differences. Hakuren’s movements are full of energy and flair while Hakuyuu’s are sharp and calculated. They both are able to make tossing a spear around look fluid and natural. When she first met Hakuryuu, she’d written him off as clumsy and lacking in real battle experience, but he’d quickly proven that he too was in fact very adept with his weapon. His technique most closely resembles his eldest brother’s, she thinks, though she’s always been able to sense a kind of desperation in Hakuryuu’s style that is absent from Hakuyuu’s.

“You know, I often wonder what they would think of me if they were still alive,” Hakuryuu confesses, breaking the silence. Morgiana turns to look at him. “They were both so great. I used to think they were the strongest people in the world. I wanted to be just like them when I grew up.” He smiles and chuckles. “I guess I became strong,” he allows. “But I still have a long way to go before I can become someone they would be proud of.”

Morgiana shakes her head. “I don’t know what kind of standard your brothers had for something like that, but I think they would agree that you turned into a remarkable person.” She slides her palm into his out of habit.

He threads their fingers together. Is it just her, or do his cheeks look slightly pink. “Morgiana,” he starts, “you know, I…” He stops. His cheeks redden even more. “I…”

He trails off and all at once a look of shame appears on his face. He turns his head away.

“You what?” she prompts, cocking her head curiously.

“Never mind,” he says. “Forget it.” He shakes his head and when he turns back to her he seems to have recovered. He tugs on her hand. “Come on. Let’s take a walk in the gardens.”

Morgiana allows herself to be tugged away from the training grounds and Hakuryuu leads her back toward the place where the ladies in colorful dresses promenade in the afternoon sun. The palace gardens are stunning. Comparing them with the gardens of the Rakushou she knows is like comparing a river to a babbling brook. There are species of flowers that she has never seen before and the whole place is filled with interesting and exotic fragrances. As they walk along the cobbled path, they pass many lovely young women and the occasional retainer but nobody spares them a glance. Morgiana wonders if they can even see them.

“These are some of my earliest memories,” Hakuryuu explains. He’s studying a section of carnations and he brings up a wooden finger to delicately brush the petals of one of the crimson blooms. He turns to her and smiles. “It’s nice to see the home of my childhood again, even if it’s just an illusion.”

Morgiana starts. “What?” She doesn’t think the people in her dreams are generally this self-aware.

Hakuryuu points at her necklace and Morgiana looks down. The symbol next to the jewel is sparkling with power. He laughs. “Did you think you were dreaming?”

Her eyes widen and she looks back up at him in surprise.

“You made this place from my memories. You dragged both of us into this illusion when you fell asleep.”

Morgiana stares at him. Her brain struggles to catch up. “Then…you’re not a dream?”

He shakes his head.

She looks back down and touches her necklace in wonder. She hadn’t intended to call on Belial’s powers but somehow it seems she did. If it’s this easy to draw on her djinn’s magic she’ll have to be careful in the future. She looks back at Hakuryuu. “How do I stop it?”

Hakuryuu looks contemplative for a moment. Finally, he says, “I don’t know. I’ve never used a djinn’s powers while sleeping before. It might be possible to will yourself out of the illusion. Or you can always just wait until your magoi runs out.”

Morgiana considers this. “Then…if I can’t will myself out…does that mean you’re stuck here with me?”

Hakuryuu looks like he hadn’t considered that. He raises his free hand to his chin. “Mm. I guess I am.”

Morgiana looks down as she considers this. She doesn’t think she likes the idea of possibly being trapped in an illusion until she wakes up, but being able to use her powers while unconscious could prove to be a useful skill on the battlefield. She can at least trap her enemy with her. Moreover, if it’s true that she made this illusion from Hakuryuu’s memories, then does that mean that she’s inside his mind? If that’s the case, can she affect things here or is she merely a spectator? She’d like to test the extent of this ability but she doesn’t know if she feels comfortable messing around with Hakuryuu’s memories. What if she accidentally rewrites them? She knows she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself if she did such a thing.

She furrows her eyebrows. “I’m going to try to stop it,” she decides, looking back up at him.

He nods.

She closes her eyes and focuses on waking up. When she concentrates, she realizes that she can just barely feel the prickle of grass on her legs and the heat of the sun on her skin. She hones her senses onto these feelings and gradually more of her awareness begins to return. There are birds twittering the trees above her. She can hear Hakuryuu’s steady breathing beside her and feel the press of his cheek on the top of her head. His body is solid and warm against hers. She smells plums.

She opens her eyes and she’s back in reality again. She’s staring at Hakuryuu’s collar. She lifts her head and sees that his eyes are closed. He’s still asleep. She allows herself to feel a small amount of triumph. It looks like she can exit her dreaming illusions after all. Now she just has to figure out how to control them.

She considers waking Hakuryuu to discuss what just happened with him but the day is so nice and the sun feels so warm that she lays her head back down and decides to just enjoy being able to take a break for once. He’ll wake up when he wakes up. She watches the plum leaves rustle in the breeze and listens to the far off sound of Hakuei’s men chatting as they tend to the horses. It’s nice to just relax and do nothing. She so rarely gets the opportunity.

Now that she’s figured out how to summon her weapon and create simple illusions, she will next need to learn to perform a djinn equip. She wonders how long it will take her. Days? Weeks? Months? At least she has two metal vessel users on hand to instruct her. She wonders if Alibaba has managed to do it yet. She can only imagine what he’ll say when he finds out that she’s become a dungeon capturer too. A small, vindictive part of her wants to master her djinn before him just to see his reaction. The rest of her wonders when she became the kind of person who would derive enjoyment from something so petty. She decides she doesn’t care either way.

She hears cloth rustle next to her and turns her head to see Hakuryuu has woken after all and is looking at her. His face is only a few inches from hers and if she wanted to she could count every individual lash on his still drowsily half lowered eyelids. He blinks and then opens his eyes all the way. She can practically hear him mentally telling himself to be awake. He yawns and despite his conviction his eyes fall shut again. It isn’t usually this difficult for him to wake up and she wonders if her powers have anything to do with it.

“Hakuryuu,” she calls, lifting an arm to lightly shake his shoulder.

“Mmm,” he answers, cracking his eyes open again. “I’m up.”

Morgiana observes his struggle with amusement. “We shared a dream,” she remarks, a corner of her mouth rising of its own accord.

“Mm. Yeah. Wish I’d known about that power back when Belial was my djinn. Really could’ve come in handy.”

“How do you mean?” she questions, her smile widening at his sloppy diction. It’s entertaining to hear him speaking without his normal level of carefulness.

“Because Gyokuen can’t spy on us in dreams.”

Morgiana’s eyebrows rise. She hadn’t considered that, but he’s right. If she’s able to induce a shared dream with someone, not only can she hold an enemy against their will, she can trade intelligence with her allies without risk of being overheard. It’s actually a pretty useful ability.

Hakuryuu lets out another big yawn and forces himself to sit up. He looks more awake now. He reaches up with his wooden hand and smooths his mussed up hair. A few pieces of grass fall back to the earth. He looks more disheveled than usual but it’s not a bad look for him, she privately thinks.

He stands and holds out a hand to her which she takes and he easily pulls her to her feet. “I guess it’s about time we got back to the others,” he says, shading his eyes as he peers over in the direction of the camp. “I imagine we’ll be departing soon.”

Morgiana nods and intertwines her fingers with his and they begin the short walk back to Hakuei. Despite herself, a wide smile splits her face. She’s learned a wealth of new skills today. Slowly but surely, she’s catching up to her friends. She’s another step closer to fulfilling her promise to Alibaba and Aladdin.

She hopes that her new powers will be enough.


	13. Rakushou

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra long chapter this time! I imagine some of you will be excited about the shiny new name I've added to the character list. I know what you're going to ask and the answer is yes. Hoist the sails, matey.

Morgiana and Hakuryuu have been traveling with Hakuei and her men for just over a week when word finally arrives from Rakushou. The emperor is ill. All of his children are requested to return to his side immediately.

Hakuryuu keeps his expression carefully neutral all the while as the messenger relays the news to him and his sister. Hakuei as well acts perfectly ignorant but Morgiana can tell that this news is exactly the confirmation she never wanted to receive.

Afterward, Hakuei calls a meeting with the heads of her household, Captain Dolge, Bator and Boyan, and explains the situation. They will begin riding for Rakushou without delay. The three nod and swiftly send word to the rest of the company. The men of Kouga all wear grim but determined expressions as they accept the change of plan without complaint.

The journey to Rakushou takes a full month. During that time, Morgiana practices with her metal vessel as much as she can. Hakuei as well as several of her men allow her to practice her illusions on them and their cooperation aids her immensely in mastering her new powers. The men actually get really into it. They find her ability fascinating and they even turn her practice sessions into something of a game. Someone who enjoys swimming will ask her for an illusion in which he can swim in the world’s most luxurious pool, and in the midst of the illusion one of his buddies will ask her to do something ridiculous to sabotage him, such as filling the pool with meat. The results of such tampering are always humorous and the men all gather round and have a good laugh at the expressions made by the person who was pranked.

Morgiana really likes Hakuei’s household. They are fun-loving and cheerful and they go out of their way to make sure she feels welcomed and respected. She finds they remind her a little of Sinbad’s eight generals, though lacking much of their eccentricity. She particularly likes Captain Dolge. He has a quiet wit to him that comes out when he’s sitting and chatting with his men during times of rest. She can tell that he is especially well respected within the company.

Hakuryuu as well warmed up to them quite quickly, in her opinion. Reflecting Hakuei, the group has taken to treating him like something of a younger brother. They give him “important life advice” in the evenings when everyone has finished setting up camp and gather around their bonfires to warm themselves. Hakuryuu is a bit exasperated by this because he’s already lived to be the same age as many of them once before but he allows it. Morgiana thinks that he secretly enjoys their doting. She knows he hasn't been close with many people in his life so she imagines that the Kouga crew are something of a novelty to him.

It is during these times that Morgiana often seeks out the company of Hakuei. She finds the Kou princess is actually a very pleasing person to talk to. She’s full of knowledge and wisdom that she imparts freely on Morgiana and Morgiana finds she just feels comfortable around her. It’s odd because they’re such different people from such different backgrounds but Morgiana has never really had the chance to make many female friends and she respects Hakuei for not only her prowess in battle but also her quiet strength of spirit and feminine grace.  

Hakuei does her best to explain to Morgiana the secret of performing a djinn equip. Hakuryuu has tried as well, but all he’s able to tell her is that it’s a particular feeling—something akin to exerting your will to draw the djinn’s magic inside yourself. Morgiana has tried this but she doesn’t completely understand what he means and so she is unable to execute it successfully.

“You must first decide to what end you wish to utilize your djinn’s strength,” Hakuei explains. “If your heart lacks conviction, your djinn will be unwilling to dwell within you.”

Morgiana nods. This makes sense.

“Your djinn is your servant,” she continues, “But he is a servant who is constantly testing you. Whether your aim is ultimately good or evil does not matter; the key is to demonstrate fortitude in your thoughts and actions. To a man or woman who can do this, the djinn is compelled to lend his strength.”

Morgiana frowns and touches her necklace thoughtfully. It sounds like all she has to do is prove to Belial that her will is strong. It’s the same as what Hakuryuu said, but she thinks she understands better now.

“Start by thinking about the wish closest to your heart,” she advises. “For me, my dearest wish is to make a peaceful world. To that end, I both command and rely on Paimon’s strength. She is my servitor and my dear partner.”

Morgiana considers this. The wish she holds dearest to her heart is to change fate. She wants to stop Arba from destroying any more people’s lives. She wants a happy future for her friends and she wants to be able to continue to support them. She wishes for Aladdin to enjoy a peaceful life in the world that his mother and Ugo delivered him to. She wishes for Alibaba to succeed in freeing Balbadd and turning it into a proud and autonomous country once more. She wishes for Hakuryuu to continue to smile and show her a face lit with real happiness every day. These are the things she fights for. No, these are the things she _needs_.

She feels the warmth of her wish flow through her and somewhere deep inside she feels Belial’s power resonate. She thinks that he has accepted her conviction.

“Thank you, Miss Hakuei,” she says, giving the older woman a smile. “I understand now.”

Hakuei mirrors her smile. “Of course.” She reaches across to Morgiana’s lap and takes her right hand in both of hers. The princess’ expression becomes somber suddenly. “Miss Morgiana…” she starts, “I hope very much that you will continue to watch over my little brother. I know he wants to protect me and our country but he needs to remember himself as well. I can tell that you make him very happy.” She squeezes Morgiana’s hand. “I don’t mean to rope you into anything, but I hope that you will continue to be his friend.”

Morgiana’s eyes widen slightly in surprise at the unexpected request but she nods. “Yes. Of course I intend to remain his friend no matter what,” she assures her.

Hakuei smiles again and releases her hands. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

Morgiana is still somewhat confused, but she nods again. Hakuei doesn’t have to ask for her to continue to be Hakuryuu’s friend. She never had any intention of doing anything like ending her friendship with him. How could she when Hakuryuu has become someone she loves dearly?

All at once, she feels an unexpected clenching sensation in her chest. She frowns and places a hand over her sternum. She knows this feeling. She’s felt it before many times in the past when she thought about Alibaba. It’s a sensation she gets when she feels particularly strong affection.

She gazes across the fire at where Hakuryuu is chatting with a small group of Hakuei’s men and looks hard at him. The flickering firelight bathes him in a warm glow. He is leaning back on his hands and his legs are crossed neatly. He’s smiling. He’s not doing anything out of the ordinary but everything from his expression to the way he holds himself is distinctly _Hakuryuu_ and she finds it all very charming. She likes his careful neatness and the way he listens attentively when others are speaking and the soft, patient look in his pale blue eyes. Again, she feels the clenching sensation. She smiles. _Of course,_ she thinks. She knew already that she feels strong affection for Hakuryuu. She has for some time now. She enjoys being with him and listening to him and touching him. How could she ever want to leave him?

She doesn’t see Hakuei hide a smile behind her hand.

* * *

 

The day they are to arrive in Rakushou, an air of quiet excitement falls over the company. The men have all polished their weapons and brushed their horses until they shine and mended any tears in their banners. They are determined to make a good impression on the behalf of their beloved general. Hakuei and Hakuryuu are also dressed for the occasion. They are decorated with ceremonial armor and jeweled adornments and they look every bit an imperial prince and princess.

Morgiana too has been given a fine dress to wear for their arrival. It takes some help from Hakuei to put it on but the white and gold garment is lovely and not uncomfortable. The princess also brushes her hair and adorns it with a pretty flower pin. When Morgiana is shown her reflection she can scarcely believe that the girl in the mirror was once a slave. She looks refined and delicate like a real lady. Of course, Morgiana will never be a lady, she knows. She is a warrior and her tribe care little for finesse and delicacy, but pretending is still fun regardless.

“You look beautiful,” Hakuryuu compliments her with a smile when he sees her. “The colors suit you.”

Morgiana smiles proudly. It makes her happy to learn that even she has feminine charm. She wonders what Alibaba and Aladdin would say if they could see her.

“You could pass for one of my cousins with those clothes and that red hair,” he observes with a grin. “I’ll have to be careful not to lose you.”

Morgiana’s eyebrows shoot up. “You have that many cousins?”

He nods. “Apart from Kougyoku, my uncle has six more daughters. They are all married now, though.”

Morgiana’s eyes widen in surprise. Six more daughters? That means the emperor has—she does the math on her fingers—ten children total, assuming she’s not missing any extra unmentioned sons. That’s quite a litter.

Hakuryuu laughs at her expression. “Surprising, right? You’ll get to meet them all soon enough,” he assures her.

Morgiana wonders at the path her life has taken that between the two timelines she’s already met more royalty than she can count on both her hands.

The sun is near to setting when they finally reach Rakushou. The Eastern Capital looks like it’s sparkling in the low hanging sun as they advance. The guards at the main gate bow low as Hakuei guides her men into the city. Hakuryuu rides beside her and Morgiana joins Dolge, Bator and Boyan just behind them. The three Kouga men are wearing easy, confident expressions. If they are intimidated by the grandness of the imperial capital, they refuse to show it.

As they ride through the city people come out of shops and houses to look upon them in awe. Morgiana hears a man say, “Who are these savages?” but neither Hakuei or her household bat an eyelash. They continue to ride straight and proud. Finally, they reach the palace and servants direct them to the stables where they put up their horses.

The greeting they receive upon entering the palace proper is particularly grand, in Morgiana’s opinion. She immediately recognizes the face of the man at the front of the welcoming crowd. He looks different from the last time she saw him, but Koumei is unmistakable with his thick crimson ponytail and freckles. “Lady Hakuei,” he greets warmly as they approach. “And young Hakuryuu as well. You are the last to arrive.” He looks behind them at her and the members of Hakuei’s company and his eyes widen. “Who are these people?”

Hakuei smiles and gestures back at them. “They are the Kouga Cavalry. A hundred odd men. They are part of my household.”

Koumei’s eyebrows shoot up. “More than one hundred household vessel users?” he echoes, clearly amazed.

Hakuei nods. “It seems my Paimon is a fertile djinn. Perhaps because she is female?” She tilts her head prettily. “It’s thanks to them that I have been able to fight until now.”

Koumei lifts a hand to the back of his head. “Impressive,” he praises. “When it comes to numbers and household battle power, My Lady is second to none.”

He turns to Hakuryuu next. “And Hakuryuu,” he addresses the younger royal. “I heard you captured a dungeon as well. Congratulations.” He looks around. “But where is your household?”

Hakuryuu smiles benignly and brandishes his halberd. There’s a flash of light and Zagan’s dual bladed spear appears in its place. Hakuryuu point the tip at the ground and before their eyes an enormous, writhing plant monster appears from seemingly nothing. Its mouth gapes wide, displaying rows of wicked looking teeth. “Right here.”

Koumei and his household take a step back in horror and Morgiana has to control herself to keep from smirking in amusement. Hakuryuu holds out his hand and the plant monster rubs its head against his palm affectionately. It drools happily.

“That is…quite a fascinating power,” Koumei says when he has recovered. The men behind him are still looking at the monster with apprehension.

Hakuryuu pats its head and gestures toward the gardens with his spear. “Go on,” he instructs. “I’ll come back for you later.”

The monster makes a slobbery whining noise and obeys, slithering off in the direction Hakuryuu points.

“Don’t worry,” he tells the shocked palace staff. “Just feed him a cat or something every few days and he’ll behave himself.”

Everyone gapes at him disbelievingly and nobody moves for a long moment. Somewhere in the distance a feminine screech of horror rips through the silence. Hakuryuu merely continues to smile.

Koumei finally composes himself and clears his throat awkwardly. “Anyway,” he says, bringing them back on topic, “Why don’t we take this inside. I’m sure our siblings will be very eager to see you both again after so long.”

The group follows Koumei into the palace’s entrance hall where many people in fine clothing have gathered to witness their arrival. They walk across the raised walkway that stretches the length of the hall and Morgiana sees Kougyoku and a pretty young man that she vaguely remembers is Kouha, the youngest of Hakuryuu’s male cousins, waiting for them at the far end. Kougyoku’s eyes widen when she spots her among the group.

“Hey, big sis Hakuei, little bro Hakuryuu!” Kouha greets with a wave. He doesn’t appear bothered at all by Hakuei’s sizeable entourage. “Brother En’s been waiting for you.”

Hakuei motions for all but Morgiana and her three household leaders to wait and they follow Kouha and Kougyoku into the next room. They are led through a series of corridors and finally reach an audience chamber where Kouen stands waiting for them. His household surrounds him looking intimidating as usual. His face is stern but he smiles just slightly when he sees his step siblings.

“Hakuei, Hakuryuu,” he greets—not warmly, exactly, but with some amount of discernable affection. “Welcome home.”

“It’s good to see you again, Kouen,” Hakuei responds, bowing respectfully. Hakuryuu says nothing but he bows as well. “Though it grieves me that the circumstances are so unjoyous,” she continues. “Tell me, were we able to make it in time?”

Kouen lowers his chin just slightly. “It’s regrettable, but your arrival was late, I’m afraid. Our lord emperor passed away in his sleep a fortnight past.”

Hakuei’s eyes soften. “I see,” she says. “I’m sorry to hear that. May the great flow shepherd his spirit peacefully into the next life.”

Kouen nods. “Thank you.” Lifting his head to address the rest of the group, he says, “I’m grateful to all of you for coming in this time of grieving and tumult. Now that Emperor Koutoku has passed, the future of the Kou Empire rests solely in the hands of us, his children.” His eyes flicker briefly to Hakuryuu but he moves them away before the gesture can become obvious. “From now, I think it would be prudent for the six of us to begin working more closely with one another for the sake of the continued prosperity of our great nation. Our late founding emperor Hakutoku dreamed of a world made peaceful through unity, and as ones who share his blood, so too must we present a united front to our allies.” His eyes narrow. “And also to our enemies, wheresoever they may be found.”

Koumei’s lips thin and Kouha shares a meaningful look with Kougyoku. It is apparent that they have read Kouen’s warning loud and clear. Morgiana watches them with interest.

“The funeral and subsequent announcement of the one who will become the third emperor of Kou will be held in two days’ time. Until then, I hope to meet with each of you individually and discuss the direction of Kou from here on out.” He looks around at each of them. “That will be all.”

The five royal siblings bow and their households follow suit. After that, they file out of the audience chamber and a group of servants meet them to escort Morgiana and Hakuei’s household to their quarters. Morgiana is reluctant to part with Hakuryuu but he smiles and assures her they’ll meet again soon for dinner. Morgiana nods and allows herself to be led away down a connecting corridor.

* * *

 

It is a very good thing that Morgiana has stayed in this same palace before because if she hadn’t she would worry about not being able to find her way back from her room. The imperial palace is labyrinthine and every chamber and hallway they pass through looks identical to every other one. Finally, they stop in front of a decorative green door. “Here, my lady,” the servant, a pretty young woman with dark hair tells her, opening the door.

Morgiana steps inside and the servant girl bows and retreats after informing her that she’ll be by again in a bit to fetch Morgiana for dinner. Morgiana takes a few steps into the room and looks around. It’s a very nice room—simple but still lovely. There is a large bed and an ornate dresser and a low table surrounded by cushions. Off in a lonely corner is a small bookshelf and tall pot with flowers. Morgiana finds it very cozy, if a little impersonal. A large part of her is sad that she won’t be staying with Hakuryuu anymore.

She’s just finished unpacking her few belongings when she hears a light knock at the door. Thinking it’s the servant again, she opens it only to be met with the unexpected face of Kougyoku instead. Morgiana’s eyebrows rise. “Your highness?” she greets, full of confusion.

Kougyoku lifts her covered hands to her mouth and leans forward to peer at Morgiana with large eyes. “You are… Miss Morgiana, right?” she asks.

Morgiana just nods. She wonders why the young princess of Kou has come to visit her so suddenly.

Kougyoku claps her hands together and smiles widely. “I knew it! I thought it was you! I was just so surprised to see you with my cousins.”

Morgiana steps back to let Kougyoku enter the room. “Yes. I have been travelling together with Hakuryuu since we left Sindria,” she explains. She gestures to the low table and adds, “Would you like to sit down?”

Kougyoku thanks her and takes a seat at the table. Morgiana sits across from her.

“With little Hakuryuu?” she echoes, setting her hands on the table. “But what about Alibaba and the tiny magi, Aladdin?” she asks. “I thought you were travelling with them.”

“I was,” Morgiana confirms. “But we went our separate ways in Aktia. For now, I’m accompanying Hakuryuu until it’s time for us to meet up again.”

Kougyoku smiles and nods in understanding. “I see. How wonderful.” She tilts her head then and regards Morgiana curiously. “Does that mean that Alibaba will be coming to Rakushou too?” she inquires. She looks hopeful.

Morgiana shakes her head. “I don’t know,” she admits. “He is busy training to become a gladiator in Reim right now.”

Kougyoku’s face falls somewhat. “Is that so…” She shakes her head and her bright smile returns. “I was hoping I would get to see him again soon. He’s my precious friend.” Her cheeks pinken prettily. “But I’m glad that you’re here, Miss Morgiana.” She leans forward across the table and takes Morgiana’s hands. “If you don’t mind… I would be very happy if you would consider becoming my friend, too.”

Morgiana blinks, startled. She hadn’t expected such a request so out of the blue. Kougyoku’s large, doe eyes are overflowing with hope and sincerity and Morgiana can only nod. “If that’s what you want…I don’t mind.”

Kougyoku’s face splits into the largest smile Morgiana has ever seen. The Kou royal is positively glowing. “Thank you, Miss Morgiana,” she gushes, nearly falling over the table in her excitement. “No, just Morgiana. We’re friends now, after all.”

Morgiana can’t help but smile at the older girl’s enthusiasm. She thinks she can understand Kougyoku’s excitement. She too has only just become used to having friends, after all.

“You are my very first female friend, so please feel free to come to me if you have any troubles here at the palace. I know that court life can be intimidating, especially for girls. As your friend, it is my duty to help you acclimate and make sure your stay is comfortable, so don’t hesitate to call on me, okay?”

Morgiana smiles and nods. “Yes. Thank you.” She is very appreciative of Kougyoku’s support. It will be nice to have another person she can talk to besides just Hakuryuu and his sister. She’d been a little worried that she wouldn’t fit in here, but it looks like she’ll have plenty of friendly company. She feels a small weight lift from her chest.

She hasn’t seen any sign of Gyokuen yet, but she thinks that’s probably a good thing. She imagines that if Al-Thamen’s witch had somehow managed to catch wind of their plan she would have shown herself already. The fact that she hasn’t is cause for some measure of relief, at least.

 _Two days,_ she thinks. She wonders what lies in store for them at the end of those two days.


	14. Hakuryuu's Promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter yet. It's also a pretty heavy one. I really hope you all enjoy it.

That evening during dinner, Kougyoku invites Morgiana to sit next to her. This works out well for Morgiana since Hakuryuu and Hakuei must sit at another table anyway, being the ones the welcome dinner is being held in honor of. Still, Hakuryuu steals glances at her from time to time to make sure she’s doing okay and isn’t too lonely on her own. Morgiana appreciates his consideration.

Kouha sits across from them and mostly keeps to himself through the meal, but when Kougyoku mentions Aladdin he perks up. “Aladdin?” he repeats with interest. “You don’t mean a little kid with a red jewel here?” He points to the center of his forehead in demonstration.

Kougyoku nods. “Yes. That’s him. But how did you know him, Kouha?”

Kouha grins. His peony eyes glint in the torchlight. “I met him on the road to Magnostadt. He was going there too. Cool kid.”

Morgiana regards the pretty prince with interest. So, Kouha met Aladdin just like Hakuei. She’s beginning to think Aladdin running into all of these important people is the work of more than just chance.

Kougyoku beams. “I met him when Hakuryuu and I were in Sindria. He was travelling with Morgiana.” The princess gestures at her and Morgiana nods in confirmation.

Kouha turns his attention to her. “Wow, small world,” he observes, leaning back on his palms. “By the way, I meant to ask but who are you exactly? You’re not a member of big sister Ei’s household, right?” He tilts his head inquisitively.

Morgiana shakes her head. “No. I have been travelling together with Hakuryuu—though I am not a member of his household either.”

Kouha makes a sound of agreement in his throat. “I can see that you’re also a metal vessel user,” he remarks, pointing at her necklace. His eyes narrow suspiciously. “You aren’t thinking of trying to help Hakuryuu steal the throne from brother En, are you?”

“Kouha!” Kougyoku admonishes, making a disapproving face at him.

Morgiana smiles. “No. I have no such intention,” she assures him. “It is merely my wish to support Hakuryuu as his friend.”

Kouha continues to eye her skeptically for a drawn out moment and then his eyes fall shut and he makes a show of shrugging. “Whatever. It’s not like little bro Ryuu stands a chance against brother En anyway.”

After that they fall back into easy conversation. Kouha chooses to stay engaged instead of going back to ignoring them and Morgiana thinks he might actually have decided that she’s somewhat interesting. She’s never had a conversation with Kouha before and she finds that he’s actually pretty nice once she starts talking to him.

The rest of dinner passes uneventfully and soon Morgiana is being shepherded back to her room by the palace staff. She’d wanted to catch up with Hakuryuu after the meal but her maidservant appeared and swept her away before she could so much as make a motion to go to him. As the maid shuts the door behind her, Morgiana lets out a sigh and walks over to her bed.

It’s strange and disconcerting to be on her own again, she realizes. She’s traveled with Alibaba and Aladdin and now Hakuryuu for so long that she’s become unaccustomed to being by herself. She steps in front of the dresser where she’d finished stowing what little clothing she owns a couple hours earlier and opens the top drawer. Inside, her worn white dress lies neatly folded. She figures it’s probably safe to change back into it now so she removes it from the drawer and after several minutes’ struggling with the white and gold dress that Hakuei gave her she pulls it over her head with a relieved sigh. As beautiful as Hakuei’s gift is, it’s nice to be back in her own clothes again.

Now that she’s changed, she doesn’t know what to do. She supposes she could just go to bed—it’s late enough—but she’s not tired. She wonders what Hakuryuu is doing now. Probably visiting with his sister or catching up with his cousins. Or maybe he’s standing in his room and wondering what to do with himself just like her. It’s strange, she thinks, how she no longer knows what to do with her time when he’s not with her. It’s only been a few hours and she already misses him. She’s never been reliant on someone to this extent before.

She shakes her head to rid herself of such silly thoughts. She’s always been just fine spending long periods of time away from her friends. She’ll see Hakuryuu when she sees him. He’s in the same palace with her—it’s not like he’s all the way off in another part of the world like Aladdin and Alibaba.

After a few more moments’ consideration, she finally settles on exploring her bookshelf. It’s small and the selection is meager but she finds a book with a pretty cover about garden flora and plucks it from the shelf. She takes it back to her bed and seats herself at the head of it, slipping her legs under the covers. She opens the book.

While garden flora doesn’t make for the most enthralling read, it’s entertaining enough to pass the time. Each page contains information about a different species of plant native to the Kou region all presented alphabetically. Morgiana recognizes many of them—aster, azalea, bamboo, buttercup, camellia, carnation, chrysanthemum—but she pauses when she flips to the page labeled ‘clover’. She takes a moment to skim over the page. Most of the information presented doesn’t hold much interest for her. It’s largely just facts about the climates clovers prefer and how to care for them. But her interest is piqued slightly when she reaches the small blurb about their meaning in the language of flowers. _Think of me,_ the text says in neat print.

Morgiana stares down at the page curiously. She knows that Hakuryuu professes a certain admiration for this plant. He once told her he used to hide clovers around the palace for his siblings to find. She wonders if he’s aware of their meaning or if he just likes them for the way they look. There is another blurb below the first that specifies clovers of the four leaf variety. The listed meaning reads, _be mine._

It’s interesting to Morgiana how people like to give meaning to arbitrary things. She doesn’t see a practical purpose for such behavior, but then, it is humans’ idiosyncrasies that set them apart from beasts, she supposes. Sometimes Morgiana wonders which she resembles more closely; a human or a beast.

She flips through the book for another half hour before she finally decides she’s tired enough to sleep. She sets the book on the small table by her bed and blows out the lamp. The bed is large and soft and she burrows into the plush covers happily. Because of the rice paper windows, the room is very dark once the lights are out and Morgiana is reminded of her and Hakuryuu’s trek through the great rift. As she closes her eyes, she can almost imagine that she’s there, snuggling into her bedroll and wondering if she’ll ever see daylight again. Out of habit, she reaches out her hand to Hakuryuu. “Still here?” she whispers as sleep starts to take her.

There is no answer, of course. Hakuryuu isn’t here. It’s the first time in many months that she’s gone to sleep without him at her side. She decides in that moment, as her consciousness slips away, that she doesn’t like it.

* * *

 

For the first time since before she entered Belial’s dungeon, Morgiana dreams of the lost future.

She’s in agony. Her head feels like it’s going to crack open and her stomach is cramping like it’s trying to eat itself. The pain is immeasurable. She thinks she might be screaming but she can’t tell if the sound is coming from her throat or inside her head.

“Morgiana!” she somehow can hear Alibaba calling her name. “Hang on, okay? It’s going to be alright! We’re going to get you help!”

She’s gasping and screaming and sobbing and she feels like her insides are melting. She opens her eyes but Alibaba and Aladdin’s faces are just blurs hanging over her. She passes out.

When she regains consciousness sometime later, she thinks someone has turned off the lights because she can’t see anything. The pain has diminished somewhat but her whole body feels numb and achy. She can tell she’s not well. It’s difficult to piece her thoughts together.

“Listen, Mor,” she hears Aladdin this time. His voice is more controlled than Alibaba’s was but he sounds scared. “You need to keep holding on. Can you do that? Hakuryuu is coming. He can help you.”

Morgiana tries to open her eyes but even though she can feel the muscles working she still can’t see a thing. She opens her mouth to speak but instead of words, a horrible cough rips from her throat and she feels fluid dribble onto her chin. Somebody hoists her up by the shoulders so that she doesn’t choke. The movement causes her stomach to roil. “I c-can’t see,” she manages to whisper.

She hears a muffled curse and wishes she could tell who all is in the room with her. Her head feels like it’s full of cotton but she’s glad at least that the splitting headache is gone. Or she thinks it is. Everything feels muffled and distant. She thinks Aladdin is saying something else now but her brain is far away and she can’t properly register sensory information. She slips out of consciousness again.

The next time she wakes, she hears sobbing. She can’t focus well enough to tell if the voice is male of female but she thinks it’s Aladdin. She can vaguely feel pressure on her hand. “What do you mean they haven’t been able to reach him yet? We need him _now_!” a voice she somehow knows in her heart is Alibaba’s comes from the space to her right. She tries to speak again but all she can produce is a soft gurgling noise.

“Gods, Morgiana!” his voice comes again. He must have realized that she’s awake. “Please…please…” He sounds so broken. It hurts her heart. She wishes she could assure him that she can hear him but her brain is struggling to remember how to form words.

“Alibaba,” another voice—this time Morgiana can tell it’s a female’s—calls to him. She sounds torn apart as well. “The report I received said the town he was most recently sighted in suffered a particularly bad outbreak. There’s a chance…” she pauses to swallow a sob, “There’s a chance he’s already…”

Morgiana knows what she’s trying to say. There’s a chance Hakuryuu is dead. Just like she’s about to be dead.

“ _Shit!_ ” Alibaba curses. She can hear the tears in his voice. He’s crying too now. “Damn it!”

Morgiana doesn’t even remember falling unconscious again, but when she next wakes she knows a lot of time has passed. She can’t feel anything anymore. She can’t smell or taste either.

“Listen, Morgiana,” Alibaba tells her softly. The rage is gone now. He just sounds tired. “This isn’t goodbye. We’re going to see each other again. You, me, Aladdin…we’re all going to go on adventures again together someday, you hear me? And Kougyoku and Hakuryuu and everyone else, too. We’re all going to live happily ever after. I want you to remember that when…when you close your eyes again. Just picture it in your head, alright? Just picture it and don’t let go of it, no matter what.”

Morgiana is having trouble thinking much of anything now, but she tries her best to do this. She imagines a wide savannah—like the one she can just barely recall from her childhood—and she pictures all of her friends there. They’re laughing and smiling. Alibaba and Aladdin are discussing something stupid and pointless and Kougyoku is giggling into her sleeve and Masrur is eyeing Hakuryuu who has just come out of a hut carrying platters heaping with food. Everyone she’s ever met is there; Yunan, Muu, Nanaumi and King Takeruhiko…even Sinbad and Ja’far and everyone from Sindria. The sun is shining. Everything is peaceful. This is a good scene, she thinks. She’d be happy to pass on with this image in her mind.

The next time Morgiana falls asleep, she doesn’t wake up again.

She doesn’t know how much time passes. She thinks that if this is death, it’s not very interesting, but at least all the pain is gone.

 _“There is somebody who wants me to wait a little while before collecting your rukh,”_ a gentle voice speaks to her from the aether, surprising her. _“I’ve decided to honor this man’s wish as you are very dear to the little master. I’m very sorry, but that’s all I can do.”_

All at once, Morgiana becomes aware of footsteps approaching. She still can’t see anything, but she hears them come to a stop right beside her. She can tell from the creak of a chair that the person has sat down. She wishes she could open her eyes to see who it is. Her question is answered a short moment later however when the person lays a warm hand on her cheek and says, “Lady Morgiana…”

Morgiana is unable to move or give him any kind of response so she just waits. She wonders if he is living or if he is a spirit like her. She never did get to find out what happened to him.

“I’m so sorry,” he apologizes. “This— _everything_ is my fault.” She feels a warm, wet drop land on her cheek and smells salt. At least as a spirit she can smell and feel again. She hears him take a shuddering breath and more drops follow the first. They roll down her cheeks and soak into her pillow. “Morgiana, I’m so, so, so…” she feels his forehead come to rest on hers. The smell of his tears is overpowering this close. “…so sorry.”

She feels his arms wrap around her head and he holds her tightly. He is shaking. He continues to hold her and cry for a long time. She wishes she could let him know that his words have reached her. She wishes she could tell him that none of this is his fault. He’s worked harder than anyone to make up for his mistakes and nobody blames him anymore. Rather, she wishes now that she’d told him this when she was still alive. The guilt never really stopped eating at him, did it?

Finally, he takes another deep breath and pulls back just slightly. There is a shudder as he exhales. He brushes gentle fingers through her hair just above her ears and then presses a kiss to her forehead. “I’m going to fix this,” he promises. He takes her hand and holds it as if it’s a lifeline. “I swear I will. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Morgiana can’t help but find this statement somewhat ominous. As far as she knows, you can’t ‘fix’ death. But Hakuryuu never makes promises he doesn’t intend to keep. Once he’s set his mind to something, he will see it through or he will die trying.

She doesn’t want him to sacrifice any more of himself for her sake. She wishes more than anything that she could tell him that. She can’t say anything though, so she just lies still and waits. He’s still holding her hand when she slips back into darkness.

The next time she wakes, she opens her eyes to a green ceiling decorated with peacocks and lotus blossoms. She’s back in her room in the imperial palace.

She blinks. The light coming through the rice paper windows is dim. She can tell that it’s very early in the morning. She attempts to sit up but her arm catches on something. She frowns and looks down to find none other than Hakuryuu slumped fast asleep against the side of the bed. His head is bowed over his lap and his right arm rests atop the mattress. His hand has a firm grasp on hers.

She flashes back to her dream as she looks down at him in confusion. Why is he asleep on the floor in her room? She scoots closer to get a better look at him and gets a glimpse of his face. He looks exhausted. She frowns.

Her first thought is to wake him and ask him what he’s doing here but he looks so tired that instead she carefully frees her hand and slips out of bed. He doesn’t even stir when she lifts him from the ground and deposits him onto the bed. He falls onto his back and Morgiana pulls the covers over him before sliding back in on the other side. There are still some hours yet until she imagines he will need to be anywhere. She’s spent enough time in the imperial palace to know that meetings and the like don’t usually start until mid-morning. He looks like he could use the rest.

As she lies next to him and watches him breathe evenly she’s struck by a thought. This is the same Hakuryuu from her dream. This is the same Hakuryuu who held her corpse and cried for her and promised to make things right. And he’s still doing his best to fulfill that promise even now. Because of him, she and millions of other people are getting another shot at life. Hakuryuu, who once cared about nothing but revenge and his sister, turned out to have the hugest heart of anyone she’s ever met.

 _“I’m not the only kind person in the world,”_ Alibaba’s voice echoes in her head.

No, she agrees. Hakuryuu is also a person overflowing with kindness. She supposes he is the kind of person who is incapable of feeling anything halfway. Rage, happiness, sorrow… he takes all of these feelings into himself and makes them a part of him. It’s probably impossible for him to ever detach himself completely.

Morgiana furrows her eyebrows and sets her face into a determined expression. More than ever, she’s overcome by the feeling of wanting to protect him. She wants to be his strength so that he can fulfil his mission of protecting the lives of all the people killed by Arba’s curse. It’s her mission too, after all. But even if it weren’t, she would still feel the same, because when it comes right down to it, what she really wants is to give back to him everything he’s given to her. She’ll continue to stay by his side until she feels like she’s done that.

At some point the early morning silence and Hakuryuu’s rhythmic breathing lulls her back to sleep. She dreams about typical nonsensical things as the sun rises over the mountains and beyond the walls of the palace birds rouse and begin their morning hunt for breakfast. She finally wakes again a couple hours after drifting off when a hand shakes her gently. She opens her eyes to find Hakuryuu awake and looking at her.

“You’re awake,” she observes. Maybe now she’ll find out what he was doing on her floor earlier.

“Yes. Sorry…I meant to go back to my room but I guess I fell asleep,” he says. He blinks tiredly and brings a hand up to stifle a yawn. He still looks exhausted.

“Why were you on the ground?” she questions. “You know I don’t mind sharing a bed.”

Hakuryuu shakes his head. “I only meant to see if you were still awake. I was going to leave if you weren’t, but then you seemed like you were having a bad dream, so…” he trails off as he yawns again. “Sorry. I was up late preparing some things for Judar.”

Morgiana blinks. “Is he here?”

He shakes his head again. “No, not yet. I was just taking a little preliminary action.”

She frowns. She’s not sure she’s comfortable with the idea of Hakuryuu sneaking around right under Gyokuen’s nose. She doesn’t like the thought of him putting himself in danger where she can’t help him. “Be careful,” she warns. “It would be bad if Gyokuen became suspicious.”

He chuckles at that. “Don’t worry,” he assures her. “I was very discreet. That’s part of the reason it took so long.” His expression turns thoughtful then and he reaches out to her. “By the way, what were you dreaming about? You looked like you were in pain.”

Morgiana tenses. Should she tell him? He’s looking at her with a touch of concern. His pale eyes are bright and curious. She debates with herself. Finally, she decides to keep her dream to herself. Hakuryuu doesn’t need to be reminded of troublesome things. Not when he’s finally started to let his ghosts go. She smiles disarmingly. “It was nothing,” she tells him. “I was just dreaming about the time Alibaba rescued me from a giant plant monster. It was…very distressing.”

Hakuryuu’s brow furrows slightly. He touches her cheek lightly before moving his hand to thread his fingers in her hair. The gesture is unexpected and Morgiana watches his face curiously. She finds out the reason for his odd expression and behavior when he says, “You probably miss Alibaba a lot, don’t you? I’ve been selfishly keeping you here, but if you want to go to him…”

She narrows her eyes and pegs him with a hard look. He can’t possibly think she would abandon their mission just because she misses Alibaba. “No. You and I have an important duty to carry out. I don’t intend to do anything like abandoning it or you, so kindly refrain from saying such foolish things, please.”

Hakuryuu stares at her wide eyed for a short moment and then smiles and shakes his head. “You’re right. I apologize.” He moves the hand in her hair to her shoulder and his smile wanes slightly. “I just worry sometimes that I’m keeping you from being happy by asking you to stay with me. Now that your memories are back, you must want to return to Alibaba’s side, right?”

Morgiana lowers her eyes and bites the inside of her cheek. She does want to see Alibaba again but not for the reason Hakuryuu thinks. She’s well accepted now that her feelings for him have changed. Of course, that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t love him or wish to continue to support him, but she no longer thinks of him as a potential mate. Right now she just wants to focus on defeating Arba. “Alibaba has his own mission to worry about right now,” she says firmly. “I am not in any way unhappy accompanying you and in fact there are many promises I have made to myself that I would be unable to keep if I were to leave you. You do not need to concern yourself with my happiness. It is not an issue.”

Hakuryuu closes his eyes and breathes out a chuckle. “Alright. I’ll leave the subject alone.” The left side of his mouth quirks up and he moves his hand back up to cup her cheek. “Just promise to let me know if I’m ever keeping you from something you want, okay?”

She puffs out her cheeks. Hakuryuu really does worry too much, she thinks. He could benefit from taking all that consideration and applying it to himself. But she can’t change the way he is so she just says, “Understood. I will do that.”

He smiles and retracts his hand to push himself up into a sitting position. “Then, I guess I’d better get back and prepare for the day.” He stifles another yawn. “I don’t have any business at the palace today so if you want, maybe we can go into town?”

Morgiana’s face lights up. She’d been wondering what to do with herself today. She’s glad that Hakuryuu will be free to spend it with her. All at once, a thought occurs to her. “Would it be alright if Kougyoku came too?” she asks. After how kindly the crimson haired princess treated her yesterday Morgiana feels like she should make an effort to be social with her.

Hakuryuu shrugs. “That’s fine with me. You can invite anyone you want.”

Morgiana nods. “Then I will ask her.”

Hakuryuu slides off the bed and makes for the door. He stops in front of it and turns back to her. “I’ll meet you by the training grounds in an hour?”

She smiles and nods again. “Sure.”

Hakuryuu nods as well and then opens the door and quietly slips out. Morgiana watches the door close behind him and thinks about all the delicious food waiting for her outside the palace walls. It’s been a very long time since she last ate Kou’s famous barbecued quail. Her stomach grumbles at the thought of the delicious roasted meat and plum sauce.

She slips out of bed and, with a skip in her step, begins to prepare for the day.


	15. Excursion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really late. I'm sorry. I've been busy playing Final Fantasy XV.

Morgiana finds Kougyoku quickly enough. She and Kouha are snacking on peaches together and pouring over stuffy looking scrolls in the parlor connected to the library. Since he is there, Morgiana extends her offer to Kouha as well and is mildly surprised when he accepts. The three of them go together to the training grounds to meet Hakuryuu. Hakuryuu greets his cousins amicably and then the four of them head into town.

It’s strange to Morgiana to see Hakuryuu and his cousins getting along as if they go out together every day. She knows that Hakuryuu has always had something of a strained relationship with his male cousins at the very least, but she supposes that this is just how his family is. They’re willing to get along and be civil even if they’re not overly fond of each other. Although, she thinks, perhaps it's not so much that they’re not fond of each other as that they simply don’t know each other very well. Hakuryuu and Kouha don’t speak much to each other but Morgiana doesn’t sense any kind of hostility from either male.

Kougyoku, on the other hand, is positively beaming. She was delighted to receive Morgiana’s invitation to go out together and she’s clearly very pleased to see her brother and her cousin getting along. She wears a large smile as they walk down the main street. Even her hair seems perkier than normal, Morgiana thinks.

Morgiana perks up herself when they enter the market and the air is suddenly filled with the smell of roasting meat. Her mouth promptly begins to water. She hasn’t eaten anything yet today and she’s starving. She spots a food stall across the street and makes a beeline for it. Her companions see her break off and hurry to follow.

Ten minutes later, the four of them are licking plum sauce off their fingers and Morgiana has a contented smile on her face. Kou quail is every bit as delicious as she remembers.

“Man, I haven’t eaten this stuff in ages,” Kouha remarks as he chews on his stick. They’re sitting on the edge of a stone fountain in the center of the market and all around them Rakushou’s denizens are bustling about, shopping and taking care of daily chores. Even though the emperor has just died, the citizens carry on just the same as every other day. Morgiana thinks that they must have a lot of faith in their royals to sort out what needs to be done because in her experience usually an air of unease follows the passing of a king, but that air is nearly absent in the busy marketplace.

“It’s very nostalgic, isn’t it,” Kougyoku agrees. Hakuryuu nods as well.

“But wow, you Fanalis sure can pack food away,” the young prince comments, brandishing his single stick at Morgiana who has three in each hand.

She nods. “Yes. Food is very important for maintaining our strength,” she explains simply.

Kouha makes a noise of interest. “Is that how it is?”

Kougyoku sighs and lifts a hand to her cheek. “To be able to eat like that and still maintain your figure… You’re very lucky, Morgiana.”

Kouha laughs and smirks at his sister. “Yeah. You’d blow up like a balloon if you did that,” he teases. He puffs out his cheeks and makes a face at her.

Kougyoku blushes and turns away from him with a pout. “That’s mean, Kouha.”

Hakuryuu smiles and shakes his head at his cousins’ antics. Kouha catches the movement and grins at him. “Look, even Ryuu agrees,” he says, poking Kougyoku in the stomach.

Kougyoku turns large, watery eyes on her cousin and Hakuryuu holds up his hands benignly. “I think that as long as you maintain good exercise habits you can eat however much you like,” he tells her diplomatically.

Kougyoku turns back to Kouha and sticks her tongue out. “You could take lessons from Hakuryuu on how to talk to a lady,” she informs him tetchily.

Kouha just rolls his eyes. “Whatever.”

After their meal, they decide to take a look at the shops. They visit many different kinds of boutiques and trinket stands and Kougyoku makes noises of excitement when she sees articles of clothing or pieces of jewelry that catch her fancy. Kouha also expresses a certain amount of interest in the fashions on display. He and Kougyoku make many comments pertaining to the quality of the goods on display. They compare the grade of the silk at Boutique A to that of Boutique B and marvel at the beadwork on the dresses in Boutique C. Kougyoku often looks to her brother for advice on colors and patterns and Morgiana is struck by how alike the two actually are. She rarely sees sibling get along the way Kougyoku and Kouha do.

She and Hakuryuu mostly keep to the back and watch them with bemusement. Occasionally something will catch one of their eyes and they’ll take a look but mostly they just enjoy watching the Kou siblings shop.

Morgiana is slightly surprised when as they’re entering their fourth clothing shop Kouha hangs back with her. His eyes sweep over her form and then come up to meet hers with a raised eyebrow. “Not much of a shopper, are you?” he remarks. He sounds only halfway interested when he says this which causes Morgiana to wonder why he bothered to talk to her in the first place. “You’re dressed pretty plainly for a king vessel. Is that a personal preference or are you trying to fly under the radar or something?”

She shakes her head. “Nothing like that,” she denies. “I simply don’t see a need to dress in an extravagant fashion.”

Kouha cocks his head. He looks somewhat more interested now. “You’re kind of a weirdo, aren’t you?” Despite his words, he doesn’t sound like he’s trying to be unkind. “Girls are supposed to like pretty things.”

Morgiana looks down at her simple white dress and considers this. Truthfully, she’s never thought much about what she puts on her body. The only pieces of jewelry she owns are the necklace she received from Alibaba and her household vessel. Compared to most of the people she’s met on her journey she supposes she is pretty plain, but that’s just how she is. “I am a Fanalis who was once a slave. I have no special connection with expensive garments.”

Kouha raises both his eyebrows this time. “A slave?” he repeats. He brings a curious hand to his chin and his eyes move up and down as he studies her again. Morgiana is surprised when he reaches out and scoops up a lock of her hair. He lets the crimson strands slip through his fingers and watches as they fall back into place in front of her shoulder. His eyes meet hers and his lips quirk into a somewhat sinister looking smirk. “Then I’ll bet you just hate hanging around with a bunch of pampered nobles like us.” His eyes glint and his smirk widens. “Or maybe you think if you play nice with little bro Ryuu he’ll take pity on you and elevate your status?”

Morgiana blinks and tilts her head, her eyebrows furrowing of their own accord. She wonders if Kouha is actually as suspicious of others as he acts or if he simply enjoys watching people squirm. It’s difficult to tell. It doesn’t much matter either way, though. She is not the type to be easily frazzled. “I do not care one way or the other about status and being in the company of those who have it does not bother me,” she answers plainly. “The only things that concern me are acquiring more strength and being of use to my friends.”

Kouha raises his chin slightly and frowns down his nose at her. He taps his cheek idly. “You really are a weirdo,” he concludes after a drawn out moment. “What kind of djinn picks a person with zero personal ambition to dwell within?” He closes his eyes and shrugs helplessly. When he opens them again, though, he’s regarding her with actual interest for the second time since she properly met him. “But you know? I don’t mind that you’re an odd duck. I hate people who are too normal.”

With that, Kouha leaves her to go rejoin his sister. Morgiana stares after him wordlessly for a moment before shaking her head and following him inside. She has no idea how to feel about the eccentric royal or their odd exchange. Kouha is beyond her capacity to understand.

The four of them continue perusing shops for another couple hours. They stop to snack every so often and Morgiana decides that it’s nice to spend a day doing nothing every so often. She can almost forget that there’s a crisis looming just in front of them and that she is one of the only things standing in the way of magical mass slaughter.

However, no matter how good a time she’s having, Morgiana can’t forget her dream. She knows that a future where she doesn’t make it could still very well come to pass. Ever since she woke up, she’s had the strangest feeling; like she’s running on borrowed time. She can’t really explain it, but now that she’s experienced the end of the lost future, she’s realized that something within her feels different. She doesn’t know if it’s just her or if there was some kind of effect brought about by her spirit being taken back to a living body, but she can sense that something about her is not the same as it was before. She can’t put her finger on what that something is, though, so she tries not to let it bother her.

It’s late afternoon and the sun is slowly beginning to descend toward the mountains when Kougyoku breaks away from Kouha as they’re finishing up at their sixth jewelry shop and approaches her with a box in her hands and a pleased smile on her face. She thrusts the box into Morgiana’s hands. “Here. As thanks for inviting me out today,” she explains.

Morgiana looks at her uncertainly and then shifts her gaze down to the box. It’s colorfully wrapped and tied up neatly with ribbon. She looks back at Kougyoku. “Thank you,” she responds, not knowing what else to say. She hadn’t been anticipating receiving a gift.

“Go ahead and open it,” Kougyoku instructs. Morgiana does as she’s told and peels away the ribbon and wrapping. She lifts the lid off the box to reveal a pair of tasseled earrings colored in gold and crimson. They’re quite pretty, but Morgiana looks back at Kougyoku unsurely. She raises a hand to her ear. “My ears aren’t pierced,” she says bashfully.

Kougyoku giggles. “Don’t worry. They’re clip-ons,” she assures her. “I could already tell that your ears aren’t pierced.” She takes the box from Morgiana’s hand and removes one of the earrings to hold it up to Morgiana’s ear. She nods approvingly. “I think these colors suit you nicely. Now we just need to find an occasion for you to wear them.” She hands the earring back and brings her hand up to her mouth contemplatively.

Kouha and Hakuryuu step up beside them. “Dunno how many occasions there are gonna be for merriment with all the sketchy business going on at the palace right now, though,” Kouha interjects. His eyes have narrowed and he casts a glance back in the direction of the palace in question.

Kougyoku frowns and her brows furrow together. She looks at her brother. “You think there’s really something going on?” she asks, lowering her voice so as not to be accidentally overheard any passersby.

Kouha nods. His eyes are still fixed on the palace. “You weren’t there, but I got to see our father just after he died. That ‘disease’ that everyone was talking about…it was no disease I’ve ever seen before. His body was…” He pauses and shudders. “That looked like some kind of foul magic.”

Kougyoku’s eyes widen and she moves in closer to whisper, “Are you saying that…father was killed by someone?”

Kouha doesn’t answer but gives her a meaningful look. “In any case, we should refrain from talking about that in a place like this.” He starts to walk again. Kougyoku worries her lower lip as the three of them follow him.

Morgiana sneaks a look at Hakuryuu and he catches her eye and nods subtly.

They only check out a few more shops before unanimously deciding to return to the palace. When they get back, Kougyoku thanks her and Hakuryuu again for allowing her to accompany them and expresses her wish to do more fun things together soon before leaving them to check in with Ka Koubun. Morgiana thinks Kouha is going to go off too, but he hangs back. He waits until Kougyoku is out of sight and then grabs Hakuryuu’s arm. His grip is firm and his eyes are steely when he looks at his cousin.

“You’ve been acting much differently ever since you returned from Sindria,” he states without preamble. “And you haven’t said anything about the untimely passing of the emperor. You didn’t look surprised at all when we were talking about it before.” He glances briefly down at Hakuryuu’s wooden left arm and then back up at him. “What are you thinking, Hakuryuu?”

Morgiana watches Hakuryuu as well. She’s curious how he will respond to his cousin. He doesn’t look it at first glance but Kouha is pretty sharp. It could be quite bad for them if he came to think of Hakuryuu as an enemy.  

Hakuryuu just shakes his head. “The same thing as you, lord cousin,” he says simply. “That our ‘sparkling empire’ has become tarnished by a sickness that can’t be treated with medicine.”

Kouha raises an eyebrow. “And you know what this sickness is?”

Hakuryuu offers his cousin something of a half-smile. “You might try talking to Kouen,” he advises. His smile falls away as he adds, “But I suspect it will become apparent soon enough regardless.”

Morgiana is surprised when instead of inquiring further Kouha releases him. The peony-eyed prince raises his arms over his head in a show of stretching and then clasps his hands behind his neck. “Jeez, what is this,” he says, sounding bored now. “You conspiring with brother En. I honestly never thought I’d see the day. That must have been some trip you took to Sindria.”

Hakuryuu’s half-smile returns. “It certainly was.”

Kouha scoffs and lets his arms drop. His eyes flicker to her for the briefest moment and his expression tells her he’s analyzing something in his head, though she hasn’t the foggiest idea what. He turns back to Hakuryuu. “You know, you turned out to be not such a bad guy…I guess,” he says unexpectedly. He’s smirking slightly and he crosses his arms over his chest. “Today was actually kind of fun.”

Hakuryuu blinks at his cousin. He looks taken aback by Kouha’s unconventional praise. Morgiana gets the impression that Kouha doesn’t award people with his approval often. Kouha turns away from him to return his gaze to her again and his smirk shifts into a grin. “But I like her better.” He breaks away from Hakuryuu to come stand before her. He leans forward to look her directly in the eye. “I’d love to test my strength against a Fanalis. Maybe you and I could have a match sometime?”

Morgiana nods. She is always looking for new opponents to test her own strength on. “That would suit me fine,” she answers.

Hakuryuu folds his arms over his chest and looks back and forth between them with a bemused expression. Kouha walks back over to him and gives his shoulder a light slap, leaving his hand there. “You’re welcome to join too, little bro. If you’re worried that something might happen.”

Hakuryuu’s frown lifts into a smirk that mirrors his cousin’s and lifts a hand to clasp Kouha’s shoulder as well. “I’m more worried about something happening to you,” he claps back.  

Instead of being offended, Kouha grins in delight. “Then there won’t be any need to hold back.” He lets his hand slip from Hakuryuu’s shoulder and begins walking back to the palace. As he walks, he raises his arms over his head and stretches again. “I’m looking forward to it,” he calls over his shoulder.

Hakuryuu watches him go until he disappears into the same place as Kougyoku and then sighs. He turns to her. “Well, for better or worse, you seem to have captured his interest,” he remarks.

Morgiana nods. “He’s an interesting person himself.”

Truly, she has never met anyone quite like Kouha. He’s a bit like Jamil, she thinks, but unlike her former owner, Kouha doesn’t lack compassion. He’s an odd mix of unhinged and kind that come together to make person with a temperament not unlike a tamed wolf. He’s intimidating and a bit wild but he’s loyal and protective of the people he cares about.

As she and Hakuryuu enter the palace after him, Morgiana considers Kougyoku as well and thinks that if Kouha is like a wolf, then Kougyoku resembles an ermine; beautiful and friendly but able to strike with viciousness when it serves her. She knows that all of the Kou siblings have an inherent fierceness about them. They are fighters dressed as kings and she will do well to keep that in mind for as long as she stays here.

* * *

 

The moment they step into the palace’s entrance hall, Morgiana gets the feeling that something has changed. She stops abruptly. There is a shift in the atmosphere so strong that she can smell it.

Hakuryuu stops as well and looks at her in confusion. “Something wrong?” he asks.

She pauses a moment before answering him. Her eyes dart around the hall but she doesn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Still, the feeling of offness persists and Morgiana always trusts her instincts. Always. “I don’t know,” she says at last. “Something is different. I have a weird feeling.”

Hakuryuu frowns. He opens his mouth to say something but he’s stopped when a servant approaches him suddenly and bows low. “Lord Hakuryuu, your horse has been prepared, as requested.”

Hakuryuu stares down at the servant in confusion. “My horse?” He shares a look with Morgiana and his frown deepens as he turns back to regard the man before him. “Who asked you to prepare it?”

The servant doesn’t lift his head. “Lady Hakuei did, your highness,” he answers, sounding somewhat confused himself at Hakuryuu’s reaction. “She said you the two of you had plans to go riding together in the hills.”

Hakuryuu furrows his brow and Morgiana doesn’t have to ask to know that Hakuryuu never made any such plans. Morgiana’s sense of offness grows. “Where is my sister now?” he asks. “Has she left already?”

The servant hesitates briefly and then nods. “Yes, sir. She departed about ten minutes ago.”

Hakuryuu nods. “Very well. I will go to her. Thank you.”

The servant bows again and retreats as fast as he came. Morgiana steps forward and places a hand on his shoulder. “It might be a trap,” she warns, though she knows Hakuryuu is already thinking the same thing.

He nods. “But I should go, regardless.” He places his hand atop her and pulls it away to thread their fingers together. “Will you come with me?”

It’s Morgiana’s turn to nod. “Of course.”

Hakuryuu gives her a quick smile and then turns to look in the direction of the stables and his lips thin into a wary grimace. Morgiana follows his gaze and sees the sun beginning to sink behind the mountains just beyond the doors to the entrance hall. Her skin prickles.

Whatever awaits them out there, she feels like destiny is about to change again.


	16. Meeting

 

When they reach the stables, Yari is groomed and saddled and waiting outside his stall just as the servant said. Hakuryuu hoists himself up onto the horse's back and then holds his hand down to Morgiana who grabs it and is promptly lifted up behind him. She settles herself into the saddle and grabs Hakuryuu's shoulders for support as he nudges the horse into a walk.

The city, which had been lively and bustling just an hour before, now has a subdued kind of energy as shopkeepers close their businesses for the night and stall owners pack up their wares and carts. As soon as they clear the city gates, Hakuryuu spurs Yari into a canter and they begin heading for the hills that loom just a few kilometers outside the city. The sun is sinking quickly now and the air has started to become chilly. It whips through her hair as they ride and causes gooseflesh to rise on Morgiana's arms and legs.

As they draw closer to the hills, Morgiana speculates on what they will find there. Why would Hakuei call Hakuryuu out to meet her in such a way? Morgiana can only think of two reasons. Either she wishes to speak with Hakuryuu clandestinely somewhere she thinks they won't be overheard by Gyokuen, or this is a trap laid by Gyokuen herself to get Hakuryuu on his own. It wouldn't surprise her if the latter were the case. If Gyokuen happened to retain memories of the lost future somehow then she will certainly anticipate Hakuryuu's plot to take her out and now is the perfect time to do away with him before he can become a problem.

Morgiana tightens her hold on Hakuryuu's shoulders. She absolutely won't allow Arba to lay a hand on him. Now that she has the power of a djinn at her command, she is confident that she can hold her own against the conniving witch. For a while, at least. It's high time Arba was paid back for everything she put Hakuryuu and Aladdin through. Nothing would please Morgiana more than delivering a good, solid punch straight to her mouth.

 _But…_ a thought occurs to her suddenly that causes her to frown. It's a little strange that after all the trouble Hakuryuu went through to keep her safe he would ask her to come along with him to a potential faceoff with his mother when both of them are completely unprepared. Of course, she would have gone with him regardless, but the fact that he asked her to come of his own volition strikes her as being not in line with his usual behavior. Could it be that despite everything, Hakuryuu is scared to face Gyokuen by himself?

Now that Morgiana thinks about it, she doesn't often ask him how he feels. She usually reads him by his words and actions, but it's possible that on the inside there's a lot going on that isn't manifested in ways that she can see. She's fallen into the habit of thinking of Hakuryuu as mentally strong and indomitably determined, but what if he's actually terrified? She already knows he's the type who will keep giving and giving without ever once complaining. It would stand to reason that living in such a way might place a huge emotional strain on him.

He probably won't admit to anything like that even if she asks, though, so she mentally resolves to watch him even closer from now on.

It's already dusk by the time they reach the hills. By this point, it has become difficult enough to see that Hakuryuu stops to pull a lantern from his saddlebag. He lights it swiftly and hands it back to her to carry. She adjusts her position to make sure the trail in front of them is sufficiently illuminated and they carry on. The trail is rocky and large roots bulge out of the hard packed earth. Morgiana is impressed that the horse never once stumbles while picking its way along the narrow path. "Do you know where to start looking?" she asks after about twenty minutes of climbing. The servant only said that Hakuei was taking a ride in the hills. The hills are a large place.

Hakuryuu turns his head slightly to look back at her. "If it really was my sister who called me here, then there's only one place she would be."

Morgiana nods and falls silent again. It turns out she didn't have to say anything because Hakuryuu continues. "There's a camphor tree where we used to play as kids. It's where my brothers taught my sister to use a sword. It's a place that's very dear to us."

"I see," she says simply.

The sun is already gone by the time they reach their destination. The foliage above them is so thick that even the stars are hidden and Hakuryuu's lantern is their sole source of light. It casts a haunting glow across the ground and Morgiana notices that there aren't any trees or shrubs surrounding them anymore. The ground is barren save for numerous large roots leading to a massive trunk a few meters away. This must be the camphor tree Hakuryuu mentioned. It's so enormous that it shadows the full area over what looks to be about a ten-meter radius. Morgiana imagines that this place doesn't get much light even on the sunniest of days.

Her skin prickles as Hakuryuu calls his horse to a halt. Even though the area appears vacant she can feel eyes on her. Someone is definitely here. She hops down from the back of the horse and scans her surroundings intently. She hears Hakuryuu follow suit behind her. The roots of the camphor tree interrupt the lantern's light and cast large, dark shadows; big enough to hide any number of things. She's just thinking that if the person who called them here really was Hakuryuu's sister she would have shown herself by now when a voice suddenly speaks from the shadows near the base of the tree.

"Hakuryuu…and Miss Morgiana, too. I'm glad you came."

The two of them swivel to face the voice and Hakuei steps into the light. To both their surprise, she is accompanied by none other than Kouen who follows a beat after and comes to stand at her side. In the lantern's flickering glow, the two of them could be forest spirits or demons of the night. "I'm sorry for calling you all the way out here at such an hour," Hakuei continues, "but we wanted to have a conversation with you away from the vicinity of the palace." She looks to Kouen and he nods his agreement.

"I've had a talk with your sister," Kouen speaks this time. "She's told me of your travels together. I see that you are indeed serious about engaging Al-Thamen."

Hakuryuu says nothing and he continues. "When you came to see me in Balbadd, I was lacking facts. I could not know if what you told me was the truth but I decided to cooperate with you based on a feeling I had when you spoke with me. I can see plainly now that my judgement that day was not unsound. Just as you predicted, the emperor has passed and the time to crown a new king has come."

Hakuryuu acknowledges him with a nod. "Yes."

Kouen's eyes narrow. He regards Hakuryuu with overt suspicion. "You, who were in Sindria and well away from any news from the Kou court, should not have possessed knowledge of the emperor's illness at that time. No matter how I tried to rationalize it, there simply isn't a way that any such news could have reached you."

Once again, Hakuryuu says nothing. Hakuei watches him with furrowed eyebrows and a frown. She doesn't look surprised at all by Kouen's words so she must have already heard all this from him before.

"I agreed to wait for you to explain it to me until after the witch is dealt with," Kouen continues, "but you'll understand if I wasn't satisfied to simply sit idly in ignorance. I did a little digging into the matter; starting with your friend Alibaba in Reim who you reported told you of Reim's plan to invade Magnostadt." Kouen crosses his arms over his chest. "Imagine my surprise when word got back to me that this Alibaba possessed no knowledge of any such plans." He shifts his weight and continues to regard Hakuryuu with that same narrow-eyed, steady stare. "And yet, the informant I sent to the palace there reported back that Reim is indeed making preparations for a full scale invasion. I wonder if you can tell me, little brother, how you really heard about Reim's plan to go to war with Magnostadt."

This time, Hakuryuu responds. He cracks a half smile and says, "As expected of the general of the Western Subjugation Army. You don't give an inch, do you? Perhaps approaching you the way I did was careless."

Kouen doesn't acknowledge his comment. He appears to have not expected an answer from Hakuryuu to begin with because he continues. "I was put into a difficult position. I had no desire to suspect my own blood of plotting against our country but what other conclusion was I to arrive at when all the signs pointed to you being a conspirator in whatever plan Al-Thamen has cooked up to ruin our empire?"

Morgiana's throat goes dry. This discussion has taken a very dangerous turn. This is definitely not the result they'd been hoping for. If Kouen has decided Hakuryuu is his enemy, they will not only have lost his support, but Kouen isn't going to let them just go on their merry way. There's no way they'll be able to take out Gyokuen with all of Kou against them. She looks at Hakuryuu but he hasn't faltered in his composure. He doesn't look worried.

Kouen too still has his gaze fixed on Hakuryuu. "You're not going to say anything?"

Hakuryuu cocks his head. "There's no need. If you really thought I was in line with Al-Thamen you would have had me dealt with already."

Kouen's tiny smirk returns. "True enough. Despite the evidence to support it, I found my conclusion unsatisfying. I decided to continue digging, this time personally going to pay a visit to your little magi friend in Magnostadt. It was a visit that I found quite…illuminating."

Morgiana looks at Kouen in confusion. He went to Magnostadt? She can't imagine how he was granted entrance into the city. She hopes he hadn't done anything that would blow Aladdin's cover.

Hakuryuu actually looks surprised by this. "You talked with Aladdin?" he asks, raising an eyebrow skeptically. "What did he tell you?"

Kouen stares hard at Hakuryuu for a long moment. He almost looks like he's appraising him. It's a look that says he knows more than he's letting on. Finally, he uncrosses his arms and raises his right hand in a kind of signal. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Morgiana and Hakuryuu only have a moment to be confused before two more figures step out from the shadow of the tree. One is small and sports a long braid and a red gem on his forehead. Morgiana's eyes widen in shock. It's unmistakably Aladdin…but why is he here and not in Magnostadt? Beside him stands Judar, grinning as usual.

Hakuryuu's face screws up in confusion. "Master Aladdin…?" he starts. He's looking at the young boy as if mentally trying to add one and one and getting three. "Why…? What are you doing here?" He casts a stern look at Judar who raises his hands in front of him and shakes his head in a _hey, it wasn't me_ kind of gesture.

Aladdin approaches them. He's carrying a new staff. Morgiana remembers it as the one he received after the death of Director Mogamett in the other timeline. He's slightly taller now and dressed in a black robe. He looks seriously first at Hakuryuu and then at her. "Mor, Hakuryuu…" he greets them, "It's good to see you again. I'm sorry to appear before you so unexpectedly."

Morgiana takes a step toward him. "I thought we were going to meet at the end of one year," she reminds him. "Your mission…"

Aladdin shakes his head. "It's okay. I already took care of it. More importantly…" he looks back and forth between her and Hakuryuu again. His mouth is set in a serious line. "I know. Everything."

Morgiana and Hakuryuu share a look of confusion. "You know?" Hakuryuu echoes.

Aladdin nods gravely. "Yes. I know what you did." His frown deepens and his dark eyes are more serious than Morgiana has ever seen them. "In the other future."

Hakuryuu's eyes widen and his jaw goes slack. Morgiana too is shocked. Behind the small magi, Judar wags a hand in front of his face. "Just so we're clear, I wasn't the one who told him."

Hakuryuu looks back and forth between the two magi and then at his cousin and sister. Hakuei is wearing that same somewhat concerned expression and Kouen appears unmoved. He looks back at Aladdin. "How…?" he utters dumbly.

"It was while I was training to become a mage in Magnostadt," Aladdin explains. "I'd been practicing sifting through the memories contained in Solomon's wisdom. It turns out the events of that timeline are still contained within the memories of the rukh. I saw everything."

Morgiana and Hakuryuu share another look. Hakuryuu looks like he's trying to school his expression but he's failing. They are both blindsided by Aladdin's confession. Hakuryuu tightens his grip on his halberd and forces himself to look back at their small friend. He opens his mouth to speak but he seems not to be able to think of how to respond and he shuts it again. Morgiana too is speechless.

Kouen steps forward, drawing their attention back to him. He looks coolly at Hakuryuu. "Indeed, you've been busy, little brother," he remarks, his arms coming to rest over his chest again. To Morgiana's wonder, his lips lift upward into an amused quirk. "I wonder if this time you'll be able to accomplish your goals without the sacrifice of my legs."

Hakuryuu takes an involuntary step back and his shoulder catches Morgiana's arm, causing the lantern to swing and scatter phantomlike shadows across the clearing. She instinctively shifts the object to her other hand and steadies him with a palm to his shoulder blade. He shakes his head as if trying to make sense of what he's hearing. "You told him?" He directs the question at Aladdin who is still watching them seriously.

Aladdin's eyebrows knit at the accusation thinly veiled in Hakuryuu's voice. "I used Solomon's Wisdom to show them everything. They deserved to know." He takes another step forward. "We're going to need their help if we want to defeat Arba."

Morgiana is furthered confused when Hakuryuu isn't comforted by this. "We…" he repeats, sounding shaken. He lets out a humorless laugh. "You saw the future and you want to help me?" He sounds incredulous, like this is something that makes as much sense as snow in Qishan. Morgiana looks at him uncertainly. She doesn't understand his sudden shift in behavior. Why wouldn't Aladdin want to help them set things right?

Aladdin clenches his staff tightly. His eyes are sad. "Yes, I do," he tells him plainly. He turns his gaze to the ground. "I still don't agree with your decision…but it's done now and there's nothing I can do about it. You made your choice." He looks back up and his eyes are shining with emotion. "All I can do is help you make sure this chance doesn't go to waste."

Hakuryuu clenches his teeth and looks away from the small magi. He looks ashamed. Morgiana can't for the life of her figure out why. Why would Aladdin disagree with his decision to set back time? He doesn't seem mad…just sad. The only other time she's seen Aladdin wear such an expression was after Alibaba died in the other timeline. Just what is she missing here?

Hakuryuu looks back at Kouen and Hakuei. He seems suddenly vulnerable in a way that Morgiana hasn't seen him look in a long time. He straightens his back and sets his shoulders to appear more confident. "And?" he asks them, his tone suddenly impassive. "Will you help us?"

Hakuei steps around Kouen and approaches her younger brother. She reaches out a delicate hand and lays it over his chest. "Hakuryuu," she addresses him, frowning at him with the same look of concern she's worn since she appeared from behind the tree. Morgiana realizes now that she looks sad as well. "I…" she trails off and purses her lips briefly before starting again. "Of course Kouen and I will help you. However we can."

Hakuryuu's expression falters just slightly and he brings his hand up to hover over hers for a brief moment before taking it. He holds their clasped hands over his chest and as Morgiana watches, his lips thin into a line and he bites his lower lip. The expression is familiar to her but she can't remember when she's seen him wear it before. He squeezes Hakuei's hand and from the gleam in his eye Morgiana thinks he's about to say something, but when he opens his mouth he hesitates. A few heartbeats pass before he simply says, "Thank you."

Judar, who has been uncharacteristically nonverbal up to this point, finally speaks up and everyone's attention shifts to him. "Great! Team Kill-The-Stupid-Bitch has just grown by three. How about we celebrate by leaving this ugly mountain. Standing around in the dark like some creepy cult is getting campier by the minute."

Kouen nods. "Indeed. Let's not waste any more minutes. Koumei and Kouha will need to be informed of the situation and we will need to come up with a plan regarding what to do about Kougyoku."

Morgiana frowns at that. "What to do about Kougyoku?" she echoes, not understanding what the kind young princess has to do with any of this.

Hakuryuu answers her question. "Sinbad has her bugged. Back in Sindria, he put one of his djinns inside her. Everything she sees and hears gets relayed back to him." He sighs and crosses his arms. "It's going to make things very complicated for us."

Hakuei nods in agreement. "There's danger in leaving her in the dark but we can't let slip anything to her with Sinbad listening in." She lifts a pale hand to her chin thoughtfully. "If only there was some way to warn her…"

Morgiana looks back and forth between them. She's a little confused by their dilemma because she thinks the answer should be obvious. It was Hakuryuu himself who had pointed it out to her. "If it's just a matter of telling her without Sinbad knowing, then I can use my djinn's powers to do that," she informs them.

There's a moment of incomprehension from everyone gathered but then Hakuryuu's face lights up. "That's right! Belial's powers allow you to control dreams. It's the perfect solution." He breaks away from his sister and walks back over to her where he lays his hands atop her shoulders with a wide smile. "It's brilliant, Morgiana. We could even use Sinbad's djinn against him."

Morgiana returns his smile and nods. "Yes." She turns to the rest of the group. "In fact, it's probably possible for me to bring everyone into a dream together. There, Aladdin can show everyone the events of the other timeline all at once."

Aladdin allows a smile to break the serious line of his mouth. Morgiana is relieved to see the familiar expression on her small friend's face. It helps to break the nervous tension that had been building within her. "Then let's return to the city," he says. His eyes flicker briefly to Hakuryuu. "We can't afford to dawdle."

The group agrees and Morgiana is ushered back to Yari. As she mounts behind Hakuryuu, she wonders again at the odd confrontation she just witnessed. She has an ill feeling, as if she's out of the loop of a very important secret. Is there something Hakuryuu isn't telling her? She grips the back of his shirt and tries to understand the sadness she'd seen in Aladdin and Hakuei's expressions. She can't think of any reason for them to look that way.

She doesn't like being left in the dark. Particularly on matters that cause her friends to wear expressions like that. As Hakuryuu spurs Yari into a trot, Morgiana wonders if it's something she should ask about. She's generally in the habit of allowing Hakuryuu to be forthcoming in his information, but he's kept important secrets before. Perhaps this is a matter best addressed with Aladdin or Hakuei.

Yes, she decides. She will confront one of them tomorrow.


End file.
